By Nsan Ndoma-Neji, Calabar
The Cross River State Police Command yesterday arrested a 24-year-old man, Christian Edem Eyo, for allegedly beheading his 65-year-old aunty, and buried the headless body in a shallow grave in the family compound.
The incident, said to have occurred around 5:am of Wednesday in their compound, situated along Inyang Street, in Calabar, Calabar South Local Government Area of the state.
The suspected killer allegedly slaughtered the woman, whose name was given as name Uduak Effiong, and singlehandedly buried the deceased body in a shallow grave he dug in front of the compound, before dumping the deceased head into an about 8-feet pit, which he had dug in his inner room.
No one knows why he killed the 65-year-old woman, though sources close to the suspect said that he told one of his interrogators that the 65-year-old woman, who lived next door to him wanted to seduce him, so he decided to kill her.
The suspect is currently cooling his feet at the police cell at Mbukpa Police Station, from where he would subsequently be charged to court.
Speaking about the two pits dug in his room, one of where he had dumped the deceased head, the suspect stated that “they are for empowerment!” and that “it is an empire,” adding, “There is another family inside!”
One of the neighbours, Tayo by name, said that the young man may have killed for the woman for ritual purpose, given the way and manner in which he behaves, as he sometimes behaves like one having mental and psycho-social issues.
Also found in the suspect’s dark room were some blood stains.
One of the victim’s children, Nkoyo, stated that the incident occurred around between 5.am and 6.am on Wednesday, stressing that she heard noise of vigilante youths, who came to the compound at that early hour, only to realize that it was her mother who had been killed by Christian, otherwise known as Etteobong, buried in the compound.
She said that she saw Etteobong and asked him what happened and he answered that he killed Uduak.
She added, “It was at that point that the Police arrived and started shooting into the air and I also ran inside the house. They arrested him. But he used the machete and injured one of the Policemen before he was arrested.”
Nkoyo stated that her mother was one person who likes going out early in the morning to take her bath at the compound bathroom, and unfortunately the suspect took advantage of the situation and got her beheaded, stressing that someone in a nearby compound saw the suspect as he dug a shallow grave to bury the deceased and the good Samaritan drew the attention of the vigilante group, who subsequently got in touch with the police to come for his arrest.
Meanwhile, the state Police Commissioner, Sikiru Akande, who had arrested and and paraded criminals on Tuesday, including one of the bad eggs in the command, an Inspector, alleged to be involved in gun running, vowed to smoke out all criminal elements operating in the state.
Akande warned everyone perpetrating crime to relocate to another state, and possibly to another planet, otherwise they would be caught and brought to justice.
He said, “As far as I have God on my side, criminals disturbing the peace of the land would be tracked down and be made to face justice.
“Desist forthwith from criminality and turn a new leave or be nabbed by my men and be made to face ustice.”
