The Rivers State Police Command has confirmed the arrest of a man suspected of killing his father in the Ada George area of Port Harcourt. The incident, which occurred on Sunday, involved a machete attack that left the victim dead.
Police Confirmation and Arrest Details
Blessing Agabe, the police spokeswoman in Rivers State, confirmed the arrest while speaking with journalists in Port Harcourt on Thursday. Agabe, an assistant superintendent of police, said the suspect, believed to be in his mid-30s, allegedly attacked his father with a machete, inflicting multiple fatal injuries. She stated that the suspect is currently in police custody.
“Investigations have commenced with a view to ensuring that justice is served,” Agabe said. She added that further details would be made available as investigations progress.
Witness Account: Dispute Over Property
A witness familiar with the incident told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that the victim was a retired marine captain identified as Davide Nwoke. The source, who spoke on condition of anonymity, alleged that the incident stemmed from a dispute over family property. According to the source, the slain man had concluded arrangements to relocate to his village in the South-east and had invited his children to share portions of his estate.
The source claimed that the suspect, said to be the son of the deceased’s second wife, received his share but later demanded his father’s car. “The boy, after being settled by his father, also demanded the car, insisting that his father should not retire to the village with it,” the source alleged.
The Attack: Hiding and Ambush
The witness further claimed the suspect later hid inside the family residence and waited for his father to return from his routine morning exercise. “When Nwoke returned and went upstairs, his son allegedly emerged from hiding and attacked him with a machete,” the source said. The domestic worker in the house who intervened and attempted to rescue Nwoke was also attacked and forced to flee.
According to the source, the injured victim managed to run downstairs but was pursued and attacked again. “The son repeatedly attacked him with the machete until he died. He then collected the car key from Nwoke’s body and locked himself in one of the rooms in the house,” the source claimed.
Police Response and Arrest
The housekeeper alerted neighbours, who subsequently contacted the police. “Following the distress call, officers from the Rumuokpani Police Division arrived at the scene and arrested the suspect,” the source added. The police have not yet released the suspect's name, and investigations are ongoing.
