Tension has gripped the Officers’ Barracks of the Warri Area Command in Delta State following a tragic incident where a young man, identified as Destiny Ogbantu, allegedly stabbed his neighbor, Onyebuchi Emeka, to death.
According to The PUNCH, the horrifying incident unfolded on Friday, September 22, 2023, in Block D of the Warri Barracks apartments. Destiny Ogbantu, a student of Madonna University and the son of a serving police inspector residing in the barracks, reportedly lost his temper during a dispute with Onyebuchi Emeka.
Eyewitnesses recounted that, in the midst of the altercation, Destiny swiftly retrieved a knife and a dagger from his father’s apartment upstairs. He then pursued Onyebuchi, chasing him through several blocks within the barracks until Onyebuchi ultimately fell into a gutter.
Tragically, during the pursuit, Onyebuchi suffered multiple stab wounds, including deep wounds to his back and chest. The young man lost his life as a result of the injuries sustained during the altercation.
The incident has sent shockwaves through the police community in the Warri Area Command, leaving residents in a state of shock and grief.
The circumstances surrounding the altercation and the events leading up to this tragic stabbing are under investigation by local authorities.
The incident serves as a stark reminder of the need for conflict resolution and anger management strategies to prevent such senseless acts of violence.
“All this was witnessed by residents of the barracks, including the mother of the alleged suspect and his siblings,” one of the witnesses, who would not want his name in print, said.
Reportedly, the victim was swiftly transported to a nearby private hospital by his family members. However, tragically, he was pronounced dead shortly after admission. The severity of the deep cuts had resulted in significant blood loss, leading to this devastating outcome.
Sources said that the mother of the suspected murderer, on seen the gravity of her son’s action, “instantly rushed back to their apartment inside the barracks, packed all her children, including the suspect, and absconded from the barracks till this moment”, while their whereabouts are still unknown as of the time of filing this report.
In a significant turn of events, Inspector Ogbantu, the father of the suspect, has been apprehended and is currently in police custody.
In response to this incident, the Delta State chapter of the Nigerian Civil Rights Council has taken action. Comrade Ojumude Bishop, a unit Coordinator of the group, led a protest alongside members, including Comrade James Udume, the unit Secretary. They marched to the Area Commander of the Warri Area Police Command, demanding justice for the deceased young man.
Their demands include ensuring that the suspect’s father, Inspector Ogbantu, cooperates fully in allowing his son to face the law without any attempts to manipulate the facts.
Unfortunately, the Police Public Relations Officer for Delta State Command, Bright Edafe, was unreachable for comments on this incident at the time of this report.
