Nine-year-old stabs girl, five, to death

A nine-year-old girl has been detained at the Akenfa Police Division, Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, for the murder of a five-year-old girl.

The suspect was said to have stabbed the victim to death with a knife after a minor squabble.

The incident, which happened at Igbogene, on the outskirts of Yenagoa metropolis, on Monday, was said to have left the residents of the area awe-stricken.

The reasons for the killing were still sketchy as of the time of this report. However, sources from the area gave two versions.

The first, according to a source who craved anonymity, was that the suspect was under a witchcraft attack.

He said, “The suspect is possessed. She is under witchcraft attack. Imagine a very small girl using knife to attack a playmate. The two children were playing when disagreement occurred. The nine-year-old just went for a knife and stabbed the five-year-old three times.

“When the suspect noticed her victim was bleeding profusely, she attempted to run. But some residents had heard when the small girl was crying for help. They quickly ran to the scene to help the five-year-old. On getting there, the poor girl had died.”

Another version stated that the murder was as a result of a quarrel between the suspect and the deceased.

It was gathered that the suspect and the deceased were playing until they started to quarrel.

It was also gathered that the deceased was allegedly taunting the suspect, who became angry and used a knife they were playing with to stab the victim.

It was learnt that the residents attempted to kill the nine-year old, but the timely intervention of the policemen at Igbogene police station saved the situation.

The nine-year old was said to have been whisked away by some residents who were averse to jungle justice.

An eyewitness, who gave his name only as Ebitimi, said the aggrieved residents thronged the police station, demanding the suspect’s release, but the police refused.

A ranking police officer at Akenfa Division, who did not want his name in print because he was not authorised to speak to the press, said the suspect was with the division.

When our correspondent visited the division, he sighted the suspect in the office of the Investigating Police Officer.

However, the IPO did not allow our correspondent to interview the suspect to ascertain the cause of the murder.

Spokesman for the Bayelsa State Police Command, Mr. Alex Akhigbe, confirmed the incident.

When asked what could have led to the murder, Akhigbe said, “They were quarelling. The matter is under investigation. I am aware of the murder though I have not been briefed by the DPO.

PUNCH