Imo police arrest man for ‘attempting to kill 14-year-old neighbour’

The police command in Imo says it has arrested one Francis Chukwura, a 38-year-old man, for attempting to kill his 14-year-old neighbour.

According to the police, the suspect lured the victim, identified as Henry Ekwos, to his room at Ubommiri in Mbaitoli LGA, Imo, to help install the Whatsapp application on his phone.

Michael Abattam, police spokesperson, in a statement on Thursday, said the suspect had dug a grave-size pit in his room before calling the victim.

Abattam said the suspect struck the victim with a machete, when the latter tried to escape.

“The unsuspecting boy innocently entered with him into his room where he had already dug a grave-size pit,” the statement reads.

“The boy, on seeing the grave-size pit in the room, became suspicious and turned to run out, when Francis Chukwura picked up a machete and gave him several machete cuts on his head and body, but the boy did not stop running and screaming for help.

“Luckily, passers-by who heard his scream immediately alerted the police patrol team within the area.

“On arrival at the scene, the police operatives were able to disarm the assailant, and rescue the victim with the assistance of some members of the community.

“He was immediately rushed to a nearby government hospital for urgent medical attention while the apprehended suspect was taken to the station.”

The police spokesperson added that during interrogation, the suspect said he is a dismissed staff of the Federal Medical Centre (FMC) but the police did not state which of the FMCs.

“On interrogation, the suspect is a dismissed staff of Federal Medical Centre (FMC) and presently has no visible means of livelihood. In his statement, he could not give a reasonable reason why he attempted to kill the victim and for what purpose,” the police said.

“On the excavated grave-size pit he dug in his room, he said the wife was aware and it was done to hurt his landlord for giving him quit notice.”