Man kills 2 sons, accuses them of witchcraft

The police in Bayelsa State have arrested a man for allegedly killing two of his children and attempting to kill the third. While parading the suspect, yesterday, the commissioner of police in Bayelsa, Aminu Saleh, said, Samuel Sunday, since 2018 had been accusing the children of trying to use witchcraft to kill him. He added […]

The police in Bayelsa State have arrested a man for allegedly killing two of his children and attempting to kill the third.

While parading the suspect, yesterday, the commissioner of police in Bayelsa, Aminu Saleh, said, Samuel Sunday, since 2018 had been accusing the children of trying to use witchcraft to kill him.

He added that while the eldest son was rescued, the two other children, aged 14 and 12 years old, died instantly because of the poisonous substance the father administered to them.

Saleh said a man in the village had accused the children of being responsible for their father’s sickness and the three children were branded as witches by the villagers.

The CP urged parents, religious and community leaders to be on the lookout for their children, and not to subject them to unnecessary hardships.

It was gathered that the suspect and his wife have been divorced for some years, and the three children were living with their grandmother before the incident.

It was further gathered that the suspect tied the children and forced them to drink an insecticide.

Responding to questions from journalists, Sunday, said he was arrested after he went to the village to pick his children for a church programme.

He explained that he gave his brother, who is now at large, N1,000 for transportation to take them back to the village.

Dr Moses Emeka, the physician attending to the surviving child said the child was brought to the hospital unconscious by Nigeria Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) officials.

He added that the boy would soon recover as he was responding to treatment.