A 45-year-old man, Emereze Okoro, has been taken into custody by operatives of the Cross River State Police Command over the alleged killing of his elder brother in Igbo Imabana Village, Abi Local Government Area of the state.
The incident, which reportedly happened late on Friday at about 10:30 p.m., has thrown the community into shock, with residents still grappling with the circumstances surrounding the fatal confrontation.
According to police sources, the matter was reported in the early hours of April 11 by Egbe Enya, who alleged that his younger brother, Egbegi Enya, 45, was attacked and killed during a dispute in which a machete was allegedly used.
Confirming the arrest on Monday, the Police Public Relations Officer in Cross River State, ASP Sunday Akata, said operatives of the Abi Division were immediately deployed to the scene upon receiving the distress report.
He explained that officers documented the scene, took photographic evidence, and evacuated the victim’s remains to the Eja Memorial Joint Hospital Mortuary in Itigidi for preservation.
Akata further disclosed that the suspect had been arrested and transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) for further interrogation and ongoing investigation.
He added that preliminary inquiries were still underway, while efforts were being made to determine whether other individuals were connected to the incident.
“The command responded promptly, visited the scene, and recovered the body, which has been deposited at the mortuary. Investigations are ongoing,” the police spokesperson stated.
Meanwhile, the police command assured residents of its commitment to ensuring that justice is served and that those found culpable are brought to account.
In a separate but related development, violent domestic and communal killings have continued to draw police attention nationwide, including a recent case in Ogun State where three suspects were arrested over the alleged murder of a 38-year-old man and an attempt to secretly bury him in Akute, Ifo Local Government Area.
