A Ghanaian, Bonga Augustus, on Thursday in Baba Ijebu Village, Akanran, Ona Ara council area of Ibadan, Oyo State, killed his wife and himself with an axe.
It was gathered that Augustus, said to be in his 60s, also used the axe to inflict serious injuries on his stepdaughter.
He was until his death a farmer.
The sexagenarian was said to have killed his wife, Margaret, a native of Benue State, on Thursday after a misunderstanding.
A man, who lives within the community and pleaded anonymity, said the couple seemed to enjoy cordial relationship with no sign of friction between them.
He said, “They were hardworking couple who looked good living together. From what we knew, they did not always quarrel. People knew them as a happy couple in the community. But in the middle of the night, we were awoken by a scream from the couple’s room. By the time we were key able to intervene, he had used an axe to injure his wife.
“We could not safe her because he threatened to attack us with the axe. The woman’s intestine protruded. When the stepdaughter moved close to the man, he also stabbed her with the axe. She was injured in the face and spinal cord.
“A little while after, the woman died. We prevented the husband from running away. Knowing that he had been overpowered, he ripped his stomach open with the axe. He was taken to the Akanran Police Station where he died. The stepdaughter was later taken to a hospital for treatment.”
It was learnt that the injured stepdaughter, a 16-year-old girl, is preparing for her final secondary school examination.
The Police Public Relations Officer, Oyo State Command, Adekunle Ajisebutu, confirmed the incident, saying investigation had already begun to unravel what led to the tragedy.
