Man Kills Lover’s Son Over Dispute in Anambra

A yet-to-be-apprehended man identified simply as Gozie has allegedly murdered his lover’s son in Uli community, Ihiala Local Government Area of Anambra State, following a prolonged disagreement over their relationship.

The incident, which occurred on Sunday night, threw the community into mourning after the victim, said to be in his 20s, was reportedly attacked inside his room.

Residents told our correspondent that the deceased had repeatedly clashed with his mother’s lover over his frequent presence in their home, leading to escalating tension between both parties.

An eyewitness, who identified himself as Somto, said suspicion was raised after neighbours did not see any of the occupants of the compound for about two days.

He said, “The incident happened on Sunday night near the Uli campus of Anambra State University. People said they heard strange noises that night, but it was when nobody was seen around for days that neighbours decided to check what was going on.

“When they entered the young man’s room, they found his lifeless body in a pool of blood with deep machete cuts on his head and other parts of his body. This attracted a crowd, and youths immediately began searching for the suspect and the victim’s mother, but both had fled.”

The matter was later reported to the police, while the remains of the deceased were deposited in a morgue.

A viral video seen by our correspondent showed some youths conveying the corpse in a wheelbarrow through parts of the community while demanding justice.

Further findings revealed that the victim’s mother had relocated to Uli after the death of her husband, who hailed from Egbu community, where the deceased also originated.

Another resident, Nnamdi Ozoememam, said the relationship between the woman and the suspect had been a recurring source of conflict.

He said, “The man was a regular visitor, and the boy objected to his presence several times. This often resulted in quarrels. At some point, the man began spending nights there, which made the situation worse.

“It was gathered that the suspect attacked the boy while he was asleep and fled afterwards with the boy’s mother. It was only after some days that neighbours discovered the body.”

The killing reportedly triggered outrage among youths from Egbu community, who allegedly stormed the suspect’s family compound and set some buildings ablaze in retaliation.

A community elder, who spoke on condition of anonymity, condemned both the murder and the reprisal attack, cautioning against resorting to jungle justice.

He said, “It is unfortunate that the situation led to destruction of property. Community leaders in Uli and Egbu must step in quickly to prevent further breakdown of law and order.”

When contacted, the spokesperson for the Anambra State Police Command, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, said he could not immediately confirm the incident.

However, a police source in Ihiala disclosed that the case had been documented and would be transferred to the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department.

“The body has been recovered and deposited at the morgue, while the two main suspects are currently on the run. Efforts are ongoing to track them and determine the full circumstances surrounding the incident,” the source added.