Tragedy struck Wednesday evening in Okha II community, Ikpoba-Okha Local Government Area of Edo State, when a man allegedly butchered four children of his neighbour.
The man, simply identified as Mike, was said to have hacked two of the children, Favour Oliver, aged three years and Destiny Oliver, aged nine months to death with a machete Not done with his seeming thirst for blood, the assailant attacked two other children of the family, Gift, aged seven and Goodness, aged five, cutting parts of their body, before fleeing the scene of crime.
Gift and Goodness Oliver were later rushed to the Accident and Emergency Ward of the University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH), where they are currently receiving medical attention.
Medical doctors at the hospital yesterday described the condition of the two children as ‘stable but critical’.
The father of the children identified as Oliver from Enugu State, was said to be away from home at the time of the incident, but his wife, Chinere, reportedly fled for her life.
The assailant, who lives in the same building with the Olivers, was said to have had a long-standing quarrel with his neighbours before the incident.
Police spokesman in Edo State, Noble Uwoh, confirmed the incident, saying police had spread their dragnet to track down the fleeing suspect.