A middle-aged man, Mr Lawrence Peter, has been murdered in Amangbala, Ohaisu community in Afikpo Local Government Area of Ebonyi over while demanding for N1000 claimed as the cost of cleaning a costume to be used for a festival.
An eyewitness and a member of the member, Mr Chukwuemeka Oyim confirmed that Peter was stabbed to death by another villager over demand for the money as the community was celebrating Iko Ohaisu festival.
According to him, Peter stormed Ogo Amaokwu-Amangbala chambers around 1 a.m., where preparations for the festival were being made.
He said Peter started harassing everyone inside the chamber, demanding N1, 000 as levy for using the Ogo for their costume, Oyim said.
Oyim said that the suspect claimed he and his associates cleaned the Ogo.
When the suspect accosted the deceased, he politely told him that he had no money on him.
The deceased appeal fell on deaf ears of the suspect, who immediately used a bottle and cut deep into the victim head and ran away.
The deceased was rushed to the Maranatha Hospital at Afikpo, where he died, Oyim said.
The spokesperson for the Ebonyi Police Command, SP Joshua Ukandu confirmed the incident.
He said the incident occurred in the early hour of Sunday and the villager who killed Peter and some other suspects are already in police custody.
We are aware of the incident, and the suspect has been arrested and is in our custody.
Our men have arrested some persons in the area and investigation has commenced, Ukandu said.
NAN
