The Rivers State Police Command has launched a hunt for a 40-year-old man, Patrick Chukwu, who fled after killing his elder brother, Benedict Chukwu, in Elele-Alimini in Emohua Local Government Area of the state.
It was gathered that Benedict, a 44-year-old patent medicine shop owner, was shot dead by the suspect on Monday, February 13, 2023, during an argument over packing space.
Former General Secretary of Elele-Alimini Community Development Committee, Ambassador Joseph Asomeji, who confirmed the incident to newsmen, said trouble started when Patrick blocked a space where the deceased was about to park his motorbike in their family compound.
?Both of them are my cousins. The issue was that the elder brother, the late Mr Benedict Chukwu, came home from his daily hustling to the family house where both of them lived,? he explained.
“The younger brother, Mr Patrick Chukwu used chairs to block access to where Benedict Chukwu was to carry his motorbike and cross.
“The late elder brother pleaded with the younger brother to allow him access to pass with his bike inside the family house where both of them were living, but the younger brother refused to remove the chairs that were blocking the road.”
??Angrily, Mr. Benedict used his legs to kick the chairs out of the way, then the younger brother picked up a wedge to hit the elder brother.
??But neighbours came out and removed the wedge from his hand. The younger brother went inside again and picked up a machete, the neighbours gathered him and collected the machete from him.
“As if that was not enough, the younger brother ran inside again and brought a hunter?s gun and fired immediately at the elder brother?s neck, killing him instantly.?
While noting that the matter has been reported to the police, he said the deceased younger sibling took to his heels immediately after committing the crime.
“The incident is condemnable. We don?t know what came over him to have committed the offence. The fact remains that both of them are bloodily related. They are of the same parents. We condemn the act. Somebody who commits a crime must have to face the law,? he added.
The spokesman of the state police command, SP Grace Iringe-Koko, confirmed the incident.
?The command is aware of the incident and investigation was ongoing. That is all I can say for now.? she said.
