Man arrested for stabbing 42-year-old over N500 disagreement

The police in Cross River State have arrested a man accused of stabbing a 42-year-old man to death after a quarrel over a N500 gift.

The suspect, Ebino Ikpi, was caught at about 8:40 a.m. on Sunday at his hideout in the Ajere-Ekori area of Yakurr Local Government Area. This happened just hours after the alleged killing of Ayei Ibor.

The fight took place around 1 a.m. in Kekoti, Ajere. It started over a misunderstanding about N500 that both men reportedly received as a gift.

According to a statement from the police spokesperson in the state, Sunday Eitokpah, the disagreement escalated into a fight. During the fight, Mr Ibor was stabbed and later confirmed dead.

After the incident, Mr Ikpi ran away from the scene, prompting the police to search for him. He was eventually arrested at his hideout and taken to the Yakurr Police Division for detention and further questioning.

The Commissioner of Police in Cross River, Ajo Ordue, has ordered that Mr Ikpi be moved to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) for more investigation, Mr Eitokpah said.

The arrest led to another incident. Supporters and others allegedly gathered and attacked the Ekori Police Division, demanding the release of the suspect. They later found out that Mr Ikpi was not at the station and began throwing stones at the police facility.

The attack caused damage to the police station. Reports say it “damaged seven windows, the DPO/DCO office door, six plastic chairs, a wall mirror and part of the station’s roofing.” The passenger-side glass of the DPO’s official vehicle was also allegedly broken.

Mr Eitokpah also noted that the home of the Ajere Youth Leader, Omini Jacob, was attacked. The attackers believed he helped the police in capturing the suspect.

He mentioned that police operatives responded quickly to disperse the crowd and restore peace in the area. Mr Eitokpah added that the commissioner of police has ordered more efforts to identify and arrest those who attacked the police station and caused damage to public and private property.

“The Command urges members of the public to remain calm and law-abiding,” Mr Eitokpah said. “While the police will continue to protect the rights of all persons, attacks on police formations, destruction of property and attempts to obstruct criminal investigations will be dealt with according to the law.”

This latest incident comes after a series of violent deaths and murder cases reported in Cross River in recent months. The police are still investigating the recent killing and the attack on the Ekori Division.