Emmanuel Ogabi's sisters urge more action on knife crime as 26-year-old stabbing victim is buried

ITV News London reporter Helen Keenan speaks to Emmanuel Ayodeji Ogabi's family as they lay him to rest

The family of a 26-year-old man who was stabbed to death just a few doors from his family home in Woolwich, has spoken about their "indescribable pain" as they laid him to rest.

Emmanuel Ayodeji Ogabi died with a single stab wound in the early hours of 21 October. Three men have been charged with his murder

Speaking at his funeral on Monday, his sisters Susan and Grace say they are determined Emmanuel's death should not be in vain.

They have called losing Emmanuel an indescribable pain and one they hope no other family will have to go through. Grace Ogabi told ITV News: "I would say to whoever is carrying a knife, it's not worth it. The reason why is because not only do you destroy someone else's family but you destroy your own too. These people just did the unthinkable." 

His sisters say there is not enough being done to stem the epidemic of knife crime in the capital and that more needs to be done to make communities safer.

"People should feel safe in their communities, you shouldn't have to reconsider if you should go out or not. Emmanuel was claustrophobic and he always used to go out at night to clear his head and that was his right to do that. And it wasn't anyones right to take his life away from him and not in the way they did," Grace says.

Emmanuel, who has a two-year-old son, was pronounced dead in the early hours of October 21 after being found with a single stab wound on Sandy Hill Road in Woolwich.

In a statement, his family said: “Sometime on the night of October 20, Emmanuel was attacked by a group of men, a few doors away from his home.

“He was chased down the alley, and running for his life, he screamed out for help, and no one came to his aid. He was slaughtered in the street, and left to bleed to death.

"The anguish, loss and the pain we feel as a family is indescribable, and no family should ever have to feel this pain or deal with such a loss.

"No family should ever lose a child under such circumstances.”

Anyone with information about the incident is asked to call the incident room on 020 8721 4622. To remain completely anonymous phone Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.