Man machetes three to death in Edo community over bitter leaf

IT was a tragic Sunday at Ibillo, Akoko Edo Local Council of Edo State, where a man popularly called Alhaji, macheted three persons, all in the same compound.

They included: a father identified as Aliu Ademo, a young girl called Favour and her three- year-old son, Isaac, whose state of health is still not clear as at the time of filing this report.

Some reports said he died of machete cuts Monday morning while others said he was critically cut and had been referred to another hospital for medical attention.

It was gathered that trouble started when Alhaji had a heated quarrel with the daughter of Ademo over a bitter leaf plant in the compound. It was said that Alhaji went to harvest the vegetable without the consent of the owner, which angered Favour, the daughter of the man. According to an eyewitness: “Alhaji, who is from Igbira, came out with a cutlass and beheaded the girl.

Mr Aliu, also from Igbira, saw what happened and tried to stop Alhaji, who was also after Isaac to kill him, but Aliu pursued him in order to save the boy.

That is barbaric. 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 he succeeded in hacking both the small boy and Mr. Aliu. “He decided to kill the man because the man came to save the little boy. The small boy was rushed to the hospital because he was still unconscious but we later heard he died this morning (Monday).

Alhaji is on the run now but the police is looking for him.” Reacting to the murder, the Police Public Relations Officer in the state, Mr. Stephen Onwechei, said: “ 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 killing. When people came around to stop him he matcheted them including the three-year-old child.” “That is barbaric. 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.

We must arrest him no matter how far he tries to run. He must face justice for his wicked act,” he declared. The Guardian gathered on Monday that Alhaji’s mother has already been arrested by the police in Ibillo for questioning.