A 20-year-old student of the College of Education, Special, in Oyo town, Oyo State, Olajide Ajayi, who attempted to murder his niece identified as Opeyemi Ajala by cutting her throat after stealing her school fees, is currently cooling his heels in the custody of the State Police Command.

According to the police, Olajide collected the victim's ATM card with the intention of withdrawing the sum of N47,000 to assist her offset her school fees instead he diverted the money for his personal use.

Opeyemi's insistence on getting the teller with which he paid in the money led to the suspect developing a strategy to kill her as he could no longer bear the pressure.

The 20-year-old, while trying to cover up his theft, sneaked into the niece's room on the fateful day with a knife while she was asleep and proceeded to slit her throat living her for dead.

Luck however ran out on Olajide as the lady he left for dead jacked back to life and managed to call out for help from neighbours who rushed her to the University College Hospital, Ibadan before reporting the case to the police.

Olajide, who confessed to the crime while in police custody, said, "I collected the money, but I spent it. When the pressure from her was too much, and there was no way I could get the money to pay her back, I decided to kill her. One night, I went to her house with a sharp knife to kill her.

I got to her house at about 8 pm; when I entered the room, I locked the door and pinned her head down on the bed. I did not allow her to shout. Then, I brought out the knife and slit her throat. When blood started gushing out and she was unconscious, I thought she was dead and I escaped."

A source at the State Police Command, who opted to be anonymous, said the suspect would be charged to court on completion of investigation on the matter.