A 30-year-old chief priest identified as Eno Akpan, has been arrested by the Akwa Ibom State Police Command for the alleged murder of his one year and three months old daughter, Favour.
The suspect who is a native of Ikot Akpan Udo village in the Ikot Abasi Local Government Area, is reported to be the custodian of the village’s shrine.
Commissioner of Police in the state, Mr. Murtala Mani, said that Eno had a misunderstanding with his wife named Blessing, and beat her up.
CP Mani, while speaking through the state Police Public Relations Officer, Cordelia Nwawe, explained that during the squabble, Blessing ran to her mother and left her daughter with the suspect.
He said Eno called Blessing to take Favour with her, adding that when she refused, he inflicted machete injuries on the girl’s back and head, causing the girl’s death.
According to the CP, “On July 23, at 7.30pm, the complainant, Blessing, had a misunderstanding with her husband, Eno Akpan. In the process, the husband beat her up.
“She left the house for her mother’s place, leaving her daughter behind. The husband asked her to return home to take the child along, but she refused. The husband then used a machete to inflict cuts on the back and head of their daughter. She died on the spot.”
Investigation on the matter was ongoing he said.
While confessing to the crime, the suspect, however, said he had a disagreement with his wife after she returned home late from the market where she sold oysters and he used his fists on her, but by the time he picked up a machete to strike her, it cut through their daughter.
“She went to sell oysters in the market. When she came back, I tried to inquire why she came back late and that it was becoming a habit for her to return home late from the market.
“Her reply incensed me and I had no other option than to beat her. The moment I picked up a machete to strike her, she threw my daughter at me and the machete landed on her head and back,” he said.
