Benue: Father kills 9-month-old daughter

A man identified as John Depuun yesterday reportedly slaughtered his ninemonth- old daughter “as a sacrifice to God”. Depuun, who is believed to be between 35 and 40 years, hails from Mbangur, Tse-Agberagba in Konshisha Local Government Area of Benue State. Depuun reportedly snatched the baby from his wife and took her to the bush, where he allegedly slaughtered her and abandoned her in a pool of blood. The man, it was learnt, confessed to the killing, saying he “did it as directed by God”.

He said: “It is my sheep and I decided to sacrifice it to God as demanded of me. I have not laid my hands on anyone’s child and as such, should not be condemned.” Family members claimed that Depuun had mental challenge but he denied it. It was learnt that the man has been arrested by the police. The state Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), DSP Moses Yamu, confirmed the incident. He said the man had been arrested while investigation was in progress. This came barely one month after a housewife, Mrs. Rachel Adetsav, reportedly slaughtered her husband, three children and stabbed herself to death in Makurdi, the state capital. The incident occurred on Friday, November 2. The PPRO, who confirmed it then, said: “The man, Mr. Nicholas Adetsav, a ‘staff’ of Makurdi Local Government Area, and his children, were killed on Friday night in Makurdi. His wife, who we believe is responsible for the death of the quartet, also killed herself.

“From the information available to us, the woman has been having issues with her husband, which might have culminated into this.” Yamu said that the couple, who lived at Vandeikya Street, were both staff of Makurdi Local Government Area. He said: “They have been having issues. Just yesterday (Friday), the woman was seen with a pestle trying to smash her husband’s car. No one knows the cause of their frequent fights.”

Yamu said that when police went to their house, they found the man foaming in the mouth, the three kids already dead, while the woman, who was also dead, was found holding a knife in her hand. “The incident happened around 8.30p.m. on Friday; from what we have gathered, the couple fight on daily basis,” he said. The PPRO added that police were investigating the incident.