A 21-year-old Nigerian-Irish gig promoter Qayyum Balogun has died after he was stabbed during an altercation near a nightclub in Dublin City centre earlier this week.
Reports noted that the incident happened around Bewley’s Cafe, where Mr Balogun had spent Sunday night into Monday morning when a confrontation allegedly broke out between two groups, resulting in the victim being stabbed in the arm.
Following the initial attack, witnesses said that Mr Balogun attempted to escape from further assault by running through several streets but was reportedly chased by the opposing group, who proceeded to stab him again multiple times after they caught up with him.
According to the Irish Times, the victim was rushed to the St James’ Hospital after emergency workers rendered first aid at the scene. However, it was too late for him as he was pronounced dead shortly after arrival at the hospital.
A young woman who was on the street when the dispute erupted was also stabbed.
Subsequently, authorities have launched a full murder probe into the incident and reviewing CCTV footage around the surroundings of the incident as Gardaí Gardaí strongly suspect the individual who fatally stabbed Balogun was captured in some of the footage.
Officials are also calling on people who might have witnessed incidents between 2:30 a.m. and 3:30 a.m in the vicinity of South Anne Street, Duke Lane Upper, Grafton Street, Clarendon Street, or nearby streets to come forward.
The motive of the attack remains unclear but detectives reportedly ruled out race as the motive of the crime but working on determining if Mr Balogun knew his killer or hung out in the same social circle.
A spokesman for the Ireland Minister for Justice Jim O’Callaghan, who has been briefed about the incident by Gardaí said he “wishes to extend his condolences to the deceased man’s family at this time”.
In an interview with RTÉ Radio’s Drivetime on Tuesday, the victim’s mother Teslimot Balogun, Qayyum’s mother, described her son as “a very funny guy” who was “always friendly, very quiet, easy going.”
His stepmother Loveth Patrick, called for justice, saying he is “one of the sweetest souls you could ever meet, gentle, calm.” She said he was “always smiling” and didn’t “look for trouble”.
“We want justice for Qayyum,” she told Drivetime.
The Irish Times reported that the boy’s father does not live in Ireland but planning to travel to the country after he was informed about his son’s death.
