Ebonyi state Police Command on Wednesday arrested a 35 year-old man identified as Simeon Ogbala, who had killed eight persons and injured four others within two days.
Those who were first victims to be killed by the suspect were his blood daughter, son and wife before extending same to his neighbours.
Others killed by the suspect, who was suspected to be insane, were a man, 2 kids and a 23-year old boy who on attempt to disarm the suspect got machete cut which led to his death.
The incident took place at Onyikwa Nkaleke, Ozibo community in Ebonyi local government area of Ebonyi state.
A nursing mother by name Ndidi Nwaba who spoke to our correspondent from the hospital where one of her surviving daughter is receiving treatment, said the incident happened last Monday.
Mrs. Nwaba added that the suspect killed two of her brother, her father and injured her daughter who was living with her (Nwaba’s) father in an ambush.
“No! The incident did not happen in my own house but at the house of my father and my daughter is living with him (my father).
“As I am now, I don’t know what to do because, l lost my father and my two brothers and my daughter who survived is in critical down. She has machete cut in her skull and I’m praying to God to help her”, she cried.
She also appealed for financial assistance from the state government and members of the general public to enable her cope with the medical bill.
Briefing journalists at the Police command headquarters in Abakaliki, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), ASP Loveth Odah, said the suspect was arrested at the earlier hour of Wednesday by a team of the state Police Command who had since Monday laid ambush for the 35 years suspect at Ozibo community.
“This incident happened on 21st January 2019 at about 2pm, a councillor from Ebonyi local government representing Onyikwa ward, Mr. Friday Nwigube came to Kpirikpiri police station and reported that one Ugbala Simeon of about 35 years suspected to be insane went about inflicting machete cuts on people.
“A combine team of detective rushed to the village where they found several persons with deep machete cuts. They were rushed to the Teaching Hospital Abakaliki where seven of the victims were confirmed dead by a medical doctor and later today one also died.
“Those other four that were also macheted are still receiving treatment and they are responding but the one on critical condition was the one that later died.
“The police has arrested him and he’s presently undergoing psychiatric test to certify if his thoroughly he’s insane or not at the Federal Teaching Hospital, Abakaliki.
“So I’m using this opportunity to ask those residing in the rural areas of the state to always care or take the insane ones to psychiatric for treatment”, she pleaded.
When our correspondent visited the hospital on Wednesday evening, he observed that both the suspect and those he wounded were being treated at same ward at the emergency unit without any armed policeman on guard. (Daily Trust)
