The Rivers State Police Command has arrested a man identified as Seth for allegedly macheting his father to death in the Pipeline area of Rumuokwurushi, Obio/Akpor Local Government Area of the state.
The command said it had commenced an investigation to establish the circumstances surrounding the incident and determine the motive behind the alleged killing.
The incident reportedly occurred at the family’s residence while the suspect’s mother, a teacher, was away at work.
A neighbour, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the suspect, believed to be in his 20s, allegedly attacked his father with a machete.
According to the source, the deceased had previously confronted his son over his alleged consumption of a hard liquor known as Ice, which was said to have caused tension between them.
The neighbour said the suspect’s mother returned from work to find the house in disarray and initially thought her husband was asleep.
“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 source said.
The source added that the person who checked the deceased discovered that he was dead.
According to the neighbour, the suspect subsequently locked himself inside the room where his father’s body was found, prompting the woman to raise an alarm.
Vigilantes and police officers were reportedly alerted and forced the door open, where the suspect was allegedly found with bloodstains on his hands.
The source claimed that the suspect admitted killing his father, although the exact circumstances that led to the alleged attack remained unclear.
The deceased was reportedly attacked with a machete and sustained multiple injuries, including wounds to his neck.
A video circulating on social media also showed the grieving woman recounting the incident to individuals believed to be members of a local vigilante group.
When contacted, the spokesperson for the Rivers State Police Command, SP Blessing Agabe, confirmed the arrest.
“Yes, I can confirm. The suspect in question has been arrested, while investigation is ongoing to unravel the circumstances surrounding the incident,” Agabe said.
