Bayelsa man apprehended for attempting to kill his daughters in their sleep

Ekpokemem Odoni, 57, has been arrested for trying to kill two of his daughters, Ezonboere Odoni, 23, and Miemene Odoni, 16, with a machete while they were asleep in their home in Agudama, Yenagoa Local Government Area, Bayelsa state.
The man told officers of the Bayelsa Police Command that he cut his daughters on their heads, hands and legs with a machete because he overheard them plotting to kill him.

Ekpokemen had allegedly returned with an injury on his leg after he went to cut wood. His daughters boiled hot water for him to clean up and also cooked him a meal but before he was served, he claims he overheard them plotting to put charm in his meal, leading him to reject the food.

Afterward, as they slept that night, he attacked them with a cutlass and left them for dead while he fled. Unluckily for him, he was intercepted by policemen on patrol who suspected something shady about his actions. As he was being interrogated he confessed and was taken to Akenfa police station.

“I have regretted my action. I want God to forgive my evil act.” Ekpokemem said to the police.

The daughters are receiving treatment in the Niger Delta University Teaching Hospital, Okolobiri, where they were rushed to by neighbors who found them.

Speaking to Channels Television, the daughters denied plotting to kill their father. One of them was quoted as saying.

“We love our father. We cannot hurt our father. My father came home on that fateful day with a big injury. We boiled water for him to bathe and clean the wound. After taking care of him, we went to bed. While we were sleeping my father attacked us with a cutlass and tried to kill us. When he thought that we were dead, he left the house. It was our neighbours that rescued us and brought us to this hospital (NDUTH), where we are receiving treatment.”

Confirming the incident, the Assistant Commissioner of Police in charge of the State Criminal Investigation Department, Ahmed Abdul, said the case has been transferred to the headquarters of the State Criminal Investigation Department (Homicide Section), Bayelsa Police Command, Yenagoa.