Police arrest 29-year-old man for allegedly killing mother for rituals

The suspect allegedly shaved his dead mother and packed up the hair before dumping the corpse in a well.

The police in Cross River State have arrested a 29-year-old man for allegedly killing his mother for ritual purposes.

Irene Ugbo, the police spokesperson in Cross River, confirmed the suspect’s arrest and detention to reporters on Friday in Calabar.

Mrs Ugbo, a superintendent of police, did not, however, provide details.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the incident occurred on 25 December 2024 in Batriko, Eastern Boki Local Government Area of the state.

A source told NAN that the suspect was arrested on Friday by a combined police and security team from the Obudu council area.

The suspect allegedly shaved his dead mother and packed up the hair before dumping the corpse in a well in Obudu Local Government Area, while security operatives had been tracking him since the incident occurred.

The source said that the suspect, arrested alongside a native doctor, would be brought to the police headquarters, Calabar, for further investigation.

The source told NAN that he was arrested at the shrine of the native doctor with a bag containing his late mother’s shaved hair.

“As I speak with you, the suspect and the native doctor are presently cooling off at the Obudu Divisional Police Headquarters,” said the source.