DAVID ONWUCHEKWA, Eziomume Solomon, Nnewi  and OBINNA ODOGWU, Awka

A 47-year-old man, Emeka Ezimadu has been arrested by detectives attached to Nnewi Police Division after running amok, killing two of his children, and his 85-year-old mother in their sleep.

The suspect from Okpuneze Uruagu in Nnewi North  LGA of Anambra State, also left three other kids in critical condition after attacking them with the same machete he used to cut the other victims to death on Thursday, September 17,2020, around 11:55pm.

The state Police Public Relations Officer, Mr Haruna Muhammed ( SP), who confirmed the development yesterday said the suspect attacked and killed his 9 year-old-son, Ifechukwu Ezimadu, his 2-year-old daughter, Mmeso Ezimadu and his 85-year-old mother, Madam Agnes Ezimadu of same address allegedly with a cutlass while they were sleeping.

Three other children, Nonso Ezimadu, 12; Chinaemerem Ezimadu, 11, and Ngozi Ezimadu aged 8, all his kids were also attacked and now in critical condition in the hospital.

“Police detectives visited the scene and rushed victims to the Akwudo hospital for medical attention where the two children and the aged mother were certified dead by a medical doctor while the three other children were receiving treatment. Corpses deposited at Akwudo hospital morgue for autopsy and case transferred to State CID Awka for discreet investigation, “ Muhammed said.

President-General of Uruagu Nnewi Development Union, where the incident took place, Hon. Charles Nwonye, also confirmed the development.

He said: “The man in question is my relative. He was previously mentally retarded; but after undergoing treatment, he became normal, before he got married some 15 years ago.

“So, three days ago, the ailment returned, and yesterday, he woke up late in the night, picked machete and started butchering his family members. His wife escaped with one of his sons; but his aged mother and two children were confirmed dead.”

When one of our reporters visited Akwudo hospital in Nnewi, one of the children undergoing treatment was recuperating while the second person, a boy, was in a critical condition.

Mother of the children, identified as Ndidiamaka, who was sighted by our reporter in the hospital, was wailing and refused to speak.

A resident of the area who pleaded anonymity told Saturday Sun that the suspect, an only son of his parents, had a mental problem and the late mother took him to many places for healing and succeeded. The source said the mental illness resurfaced after a long while which made him to start behaving abnormally two days before the incident.

“He is a Sabbatarian. He doesn’t smoke or drink alcohol except soft drinks. Two days before the incident his mood changed. In the night he used a spade and attacked his mother and his three children. His mother and two children died but the third child was wounded who is now receiving treatment at the hospital.

“When that happened his pregnant wife started shouting which attracted the vigilantes. After killing his mother and the two children he also killed two of his goats. He is a businessman but I don’t know his line of business. The youths wanted to burn his house because of anger but were restrained. The vigilantes overpowered him and handed him over to the police, “ the source said.