Man stabs, removes 74-year-old father’s heart

Residents of Abesan Estate in the Ipaja area of

Lagos State have been thrown into confusion after

a man, Nelson Oamen, stabbed his father,

Ehiremen Oamen, to death during an altercation.

PUNCH Metro gathered that Nelson, who reportedly

fled his father’s apartment in Block 272, after the

incident on Friday, removed the septuagenarian’s

heart and left with it.

Our correspondent learnt that the Oamens, who

hailed from Edo State, had been living in the

estate for over 15 years.

It was gathered that the father, said to be a

retired worker in a company in Apapa, was battling

with stroke, and usually remained indoors.

PUNCH Metro learnt that 34-year-old Nelson, who

did not have a stable job, was reportedly a drug

addict, and had had violent clashes with people in

the area which were reported to the police.

Our correspondent learnt that at about 2pm on

Friday, Nelson had gone to his father’s apartment

and an argument had ensued between the two.

Nelson, who was suspected to be high on drugs,

allegedly stabbed his father to death in his

bedroom, and covered his body with a blanket.

He was said to have sneaked out of the house and

had yet to be found.

Nelson’s younger sister, who did not want her name

in print, reportedly came into the house a few

minutes later, and found traces of blood in the

family’s sitting room.

She was said to have discovered Ehiremen’s corpse

on his bed, after which she raised the alarm.

It was gathered that some neighbours and

residents, who also rushed to the room to see

Ehiremen, realised that there was a deep hole on

the left side of his chest after he had been

stabbed in several places.

It was said that Nelson allegedly escaped with his

father’s heart, which the residents claimed, was

responsible for the bloodstains in the sitting room.

Our correspondent gathered that the matter was

reported at the Ipaja Police Division.

When PUNCH Metro visited the area on Saturday, a

crowd of sympathisers was observed thronging the

deceased’s apartment.

Nelson’s elder sister, who came from Abeokuta,

Ogun State, and also did not want her name in

print, said the family could not say what caused

the argument between her father and Nelson.

She added that Ehiremen had been physically

attacked by Nelson in the past.

She said, “For about five years now, dad had been

nursing a stroke, and he could not work again. So,

he used to stay at home. Nelson did not have a

stable location. He just came to the area on

Friday.

“I was told that he came in through the window

before committing the act. It was his younger

sister, who has a shop in the area, and came in a

few minutes later to change her clothes, who first

observed bloodstains in the sitting room.

“She then traced the bloodstains to daddy’s room,

and found out that he had been killed. We have not

seen any sign of Nelson since then.”

A landlord in the area, Akeem Salau, who described

the deceased as an easy-going man, said he was

praying in the mosque at about 2pm, when the news

of Ehiremen’s death filtered in.

He said, “The man has eight children. Nelson is the

fourth child. The young man does not have any

stable job. He also smokes and drinks heavily. He

does not live here, but only comes once in a while.

“On that Friday, some people saw him in the

afternoon. The people who saw him said he was

unstable. He went into their house, and it was a

few minutes later that they found the father

dead. He fled immediately. When I went in to see

the corpse, I observed that the old man was

stabbed in several places. No one could have been

so wicked except one was on drugs.”

Our correspondent gathered that the police in Ipaja

had launched a manhunt for Nelson.

The Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer,

DSP Joe Offor, said the police were on the trail of

Nelson and would soon get him.