10th August, 2015
Jethro Ibileke/Benin
Three persons, including a three year old boy, were on Sunday evening murdered at Ibillo, Akoko Edo local government area of Edo State by a man popularly known as Alhaji, after a quarrel over the ownership of a bitter leaf plant in the compound.
Victims of the incident which was said to have occurred at Ogo quarters, were identified as Mr. Aliu Ademo, a girl called Favour and the little boy called Isaac, who later died on Monday morning at the hospital.
Trouble was said to have started after the assailant who had a heated quarrel with the daughter of a co-tenant called Favour over the bitter leaf plant in the compound. He was said to have harvested the vegetable without the consent of the owner, a conduct which apparently angered Favour, daughter of the owner.
Narrating the fit of madness by the assailant, an eyewitness of the incident who refused to give his name, said: “Alhaji who is from Igbira came out with a cutlass and beheaded the girl. Mr Aliu saw what happened and started shouting, Alhaji ran after Isaac the little boy to kill him but Aliu pursued him in order to save the boy. But he succeeded in matcheting both the small boy and Mr Aliu.
“He decided to kill the man because the man came to save the little boy. The boy was rushed to the hospital because he was unconscious and not dead after the assault but we later died this morning (Monday). Alhaji is on the run now but the police is looking for him,” he said.
Confirming the story, Edo State Police Command spokesman, DSP Stephen Onwechei, described the incident as barbaric.
“The suspect is currently on the run but we are on his trail. He will be arrested. He abandoned his cutlass and took off after the killing. When people came around to stop him he matcheted them including the three year old child.
“I understand he previously had a quarrel with the mother of the child over the ownership of the bitter leaf in the compound. That is madness but we must arrest him no matter how far he tries to run. He must face justice for his wicked act,” he said.