Francis Chukwura, 38, has been detained by Imo state police officers for allegedly attempting to murder his neighbor’s son and using him for ritual reasons in Ubommiri, Mbaitoli LGA, Imo State.

According to a statement released by the state police command’s spokesperson, CSP Michael Abattam, on January 6, the suspect, who is a native of Umuiem in Onitsha North LGA of Anambra State but resides in Ubommiri in Mbaitoli LGA of Imo State, lured his neighbor’s son, Henry Ekwosm, into his room to help him install WhatsApp on his phone.

According to Abattam, the boy innocently entered the room with him, where he had already excavated a grave-sized hole. After noticing the grave-size pit in the room, the young boy became suspicious and turned to escape out, then Francis Chukwura grabbed up a machete and gave him multiple machete wounds on his head and body. Fortunately, passers-by who heard his scream alerted the police patrol unit in the vicinity.

When police arrived on the scene, they were able to disarm the assailant and rescue the victim with the help of several neighborhood members. He was quickly taken to the nearest government hospital for quick medical assistance, while the culprit was arrested.

The police spokesperson said, “On interrogation, the suspect, a dismissed staff of Federal medical center (FMC) and presently has no visible means of livelihood, in his statement could not give a reasonable reason why he attempted to kill the victim and for what purpose. On the excavated grave-size pit he dug in his room, he said the wife was aware and it was done to hurt his landlord for giving him quit notice.

“Consequent upon the suspect’s claim, the wife, Ezinne Anyanwu, age 32 years, a native of Ikeduru in Ikeduru LGA of Imo State, was arrested. On interrogation, she claimed to have three children for the suspect out of wedlock. That the landlord did not give them quit notice, but they are owing rent for some months. She claimed, he is fond of beating her and said that, “she is bad luck to him”. She further stated that, on the 5th of January, 2022, she came back in the night from her hawking business, surprised to see the already dug grave-size pit in their room. And when she asked him about it, he said, “he is looking for the dollars he buried in the ground.

“That she became suspicious and afraid, that he might have planned to use one of her children for ritual hence, she held on to her three children without sleeping till the next day. In the morning of January 6, he drove her and their children away. She left for her brother’s house and narrated her ordeal to him. That it was in the evening of that day, she received a phone call that, her husband has been arrested for attempting to kill a young boy for money ritual.

“The victim is in the intensive care unit of a reputable government hospital and he is responding to treatment. However, an investigation is ongoing and as soon as it is concluded, the suspect will be charged to court.”