Police parade two for allegedly killing daughter, uncle

The Akwa Ibom State Police Command has paraded one Victor Esin, from Urue Offong/Oruko Local Council and Joseph Ibanga from Ibiono Ibom Local Council, for allegedly killing his uncle and daughter respectively.

Parading them at the police headquarters in Ikot Akpan Abia, Uyo, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Cordelia Nwawe said Victor inflicted machete cuts on his 60-year-old uncle, Rev. Esin Adak Esin and he died in the process.

Joseph, she said strangled his four-year-old daughter, Gloria Ibanga, to death, adding that though the crimes were committed at different locations within the state, the command was able to arrest them based on information given by people to the police.

According to her, the command would not rest on its oars until criminal tendencies were reduced to the barest minimum in the state, while calling on residents to always volunteer information to enable the command carry out its duties successfully.

The PPRO noted that, once all the necessary investigations are completed, the suspects would appear in court, warning parents to make sure they monitor the type of friends their wards keep.

Confirming their involvement in the alleged crimes, Victor and Joseph claimed they were led by the devil. They both pleaded for leniency. Victor, aged 30, said: “I went to my uncle’s house to ask him why people were dying in my family. I got there, met him and the children. We exchanged pleasantries but what happened after that, I cannot explain.

Asked how he used machete to kill his uncle, he said: “That is why I am pleading for leniency because I cannot say what really pushed me into doing that.”

Narrating his side of the story, Joseph, 18, from Ibiono Ibom said: “I don’t understand. I stay in Port Harcourt but I came to the village that day. I don’t know what happened but I started quarreling with my mother.

“Around 4a.m., my daughter was still sleeping when I carried her to the village stream and strangled her to death. I cannot say more. My maternal relatives arrested me. I regret my action. Really, I cannot tell why I killed my four-year-old daughter.”