Man steals goat, stabs father to death for not defending him

CALABAR — A 21-year-old man, Samuel Eyo Nsa, has stabbed his 78-year-old father, Chief Eyo Nsa, to death at Eseko village, Creek Town in Odukpani Local Government Area of the state.

His reason: the late father allegedly refused to defend him after he was caught stealing a neighbour’s goat.

The incident happened on Children’s Day when Samuel decided to celebrate the day with a goat stolen from a neighbour, Otobong Matthew, with which he prepared pepper soup to entertain his friends.

“When Otobong discovered that evening that one of his goats was missing, he searched everywhere for it and someone told him that he saw Samuel with a goat earlier in the day and had slaughtered it to prepare pepper soup for his friends to celebrate the Children’s Day,” Alex Edet, a Creek Town youth told Vanguard.

The revelation, our source said, made Otobong to report the matter to Samuel’s father that his goats were always missing and that someone had told him that Samuel stole his goat to celebrate the Children’s Day. He demanded payment for his goat.

“Chief Nsa was tired of appearing in the village square to defend his son and to pay fines for things he kept stealing and, therefore, told the owner of the goat to report the matter to the police,” our source said.

According to Edet, after Otobong left the old man’s premises and was on his way to the police station, Samuel who was hiding behind the window listening to the discussion, suddenly appeared, accusing his parents of not defending him and threatened to deal with them.

Afraid that the boy would carry out his threat, his mother escaped, while Samuel allegedly gave her a hot chase brandishing a machete but when he got to a point where he met some youths decided to return to the house to attack his aged father who was said to be old and almost blind.

“He inflicted several machete cuts on the old man who died on the spot and swore not to spare his mother,” Vanguard was told.

Samuel later attempted to escape as he fled into the bush but was apprehended by some youths in the area.

“We gave him a hot chase and got hold of him in the CreekTown forest and handed him over to the police at the Odukpani Police division,” said one of the youths.

He was after his arrest transferred to the State Police Headquarters in Calabar.

The Police Public Relations Officer of the state Police Command, Mr. John Umoh, said the suspect would be charged to court.