A man identified as Seth has been arrested by the Rivers State Police Command for allegedly macheting his father to death in the Pipeline area of Rumukwurushi, Obio/Akpor Local Government Area of the state.
The suspect, said to be in his 20s, allegedly attacked his father at their residence, leaving him with multiple injuries, including a severe wound to the neck.
The police said the circumstances surrounding the incident, including the motive for the alleged killing, were still being investigated.
A neighbour, who spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the matter, told PUNCH Metro that the deceased had reportedly confronted his son on several occasions over his alleged consumption of a hard liquor known as Ice.
The neighbour said the suspect’s mother, a teacher, was at work when the incident allegedly occurred.
According to the source, the woman returned home to find the house in disarray and initially thought her husband was asleep after seeing him lying down.
The source said, “The boy’s mother is a teacher and she was not at home. When she returned from work and saw the house scattered, from the veranda to the room, she asked the boy what had happened.
“They said the boy usually took Ice. She saw her husband lying down, so she thought he was sleeping. But because of the state of the house, she went outside and called people to come and check him.
“The person who came said the man was dead, but she did not see any blood. As she tried to go back inside, the boy locked the door where his father was and remained inside.
“The woman started shouting and attracted people. Vigilante members and the police came and forced the door open. The boy was seen with bloodstains on his hands. He admitted killing his father.”
The neighbour said the exact cause of the alleged attack remained unclear, adding that the incident might have followed an argument between the suspect and his father.
“Maybe he had a quarrel with his father over food or something else because the woman was rushing to prepare food for her husband that afternoon,” the source added.
PUNCH Metro gathered that the suspect allegedly used a machete to attack his father, inflicting several injuries on him before his death.
A video circulating on social media also showed the deceased’s wife narrating the incident to some officials believed to be members of a local vigilante group.
When contacted, the spokesperson for the Rivers State Police Command, SP Blessing Agabe, confirmed the incident and the arrest of the suspect.
Agabe said, “Yes, I can confirm. The suspect in question has been arrested, while investigation is ongoing to unravel the circumstances surrounding the incident.