Families in Delta State are facing troubling times as the alarming trend of children killing their parents becomes increasingly prevalent. This heinous crime, among the most reprehensible globally, is now occurring more frequently within the state.
Reports reveal that some perpetrators have targeted their fathers, while others have turned against their mothers, and in some cases, both parents have fallen victim. Many incidents remain unreported, often resolved locally due to fear of repercussions or other influencing factors.
As we explore this disturbing trend, it becomes essential to understand the factors contributing to such extreme behaviour and to consider potential preventive measures to safeguard both children and families.
This is because , addressing this issue requires a multifaceted approach, encompassing psychological support, community awareness, and effective intervention strategies.
On July 10, 2024, Delta State police arrested a 23-year-old man named Samson for fatally stabbing his mother, a quinquagenarian in her 50s, in Obiaruku.
Sources indicate that after completing secondary school, Samson was sent to Asaba to learn a trade but was returned home a few months later due to his involvement with a group of boys engaged in drug activities, which reportedly affected his mental health. Upon his return to Obiaruku, his mother sought treatment for him at a local native mental health facility.
An anonymous eyewitness recounted the incident, stating, “They live on Jehovah Street, Obiedike Obiaruku, near my shop. The mother is in her 50s, likely not yet 60.
At around 5 a.m., she stepped outside and found her son, Samson, smoking. She confronted him, possibly raising her voice, prompting Samson to go inside and return with a knife, which he used to stab her. It was the elder brother, a sickle cell patient, who shouted for help, drawing attention since the compound gate was still locked at that time.”
Other neighborhood residents noted that Samson had struggled with drug addiction since returning from Asaba. They also reported that police arrived to arrest Samson while he was near his mother’s body.
When contacted, SP spokesman for the Delta State Police Command, SP Bright Edafe, confirmed that a suspect has been arrested.
The most recent incident involves a 25-year-old man, identified as Emmanuel, who was apprehended by police operatives in Sapele for brutally hacking his 53-year-old mother, Mrs. Fatima Umukoro, a school proprietress of His Majesty Group of Schools in Sapele, to death.
Emmanuel has been grappling with mental health issues stemming from substance abuse.
A church pastor, who requested anonymity due to the fact that he is a close friend of the suspect’s father, revealed that Rev. Prince Umukoro, a pastor of a popular Pentecostal church in Sapele and owner of a private school, had previously taken Emmanuel for drug rehabilitation. Although Emmanuel showed improvement upon returning, he recently began showing signs of relapse.
The pastor recounted troubling behavior, stating that Emmanuel would often stand in front of their house in the Ugbeyiyi area, smiling for no apparent reason, and had previously attacked his mother with a cutlass, only to be stopped by his father.
On Saturday, September 6, 2024, trouble escalated when no one was home; his father had left for a burial ceremony in Imo State. During this time, Emmanuel attacked his mother with a brand-new axe, killed her, and subsequently dragged her body outside before setting it ablaze.
When our correspondent visited the police station, neighbours gathered at the police station when Rev. Umukoro returned from his trip.
A few who spoke exclusively to our correspondent recounted the horrifying events surrounding the death of the victim, popularly called, ‘Mama Faith.’
They added that after setting her body ablaze, Emmanuel fled to Warri in his mother’s Sienna car. He was later apprehended by police at Effurun Roundabout and brought back to the Sapele Police Station.
“The woman’s body has since been deposited at Sapele Central Hospital.
The police spokeperson said this to LEADERSHIP Weekend, “You can see the pastors and neighbours milling around; what they told you is the truth. We arrested the boy and brought him back to Sapele with the vehicle at Effurun Roundabout, where he was even trying to pick up passengers. Imagine!” a source said.
When she returned home from school that fateful day, she had no idea death was lurking nearby, nor did she have any premonition of the tragedy that awaited her. In a helpless and horrifying moment, she was set ablaze while the fire raged around her.
The arrangement made by her son, Emmanuel Umukoro, 24, late at night left the neighbours in shock and bewilderment.
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