Juliana Francis
The Lagos State Police Command has arrested a 29-year-old man, identified as Benedict Anieze, who allegedly killed his one-month-old baby, Onyinyechi, by smashing her to the ground and then attempting to set himself on fire at the Idimu area of the metropolis.
While Fielding questions from journalists today, Anieze blamed his action on alcohol. He was said to have killed the baby on April 6, after a heated quarrel with his wife and while under the influence of alcohol.
After realising he had killed the baby, he dumped her remains in an uncompleted building. It was also said that he would have killed himself but for the intervention of neighbours.
The suspect was paraded by Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), SP Benjamin Hundeyin, at the Command Headquarters, Ikeja.
The suspect said: ” I was in the bathroom when I heard a knock on my door and I rushed out and picked up the baby, unfortunately, the baby slipped, hit her head on the floor, and died. Immediately I saw what I did, I dashed out of my apartment and headed straight to where I kept my gallon of petrol with the purpose of setting myself ablaze. What happened was not intentional.
“I didn’t smash her head on the flour as claimed by the police. When the incident occurred, I wasn’t myself anymore, I wanted to set myself ablaze to die with the baby. I am not happy seeing the corpse of my daughter on the floor. What was coming to my mind was to kill myself. I don’t have a disagreement with my wife on that fateful day. My wife was not at fault. It was true I killed my baby, but it was an accident. I am not happy. I am a foolish person to have killed my daughter. I am not happy with the death of my daughter, my wife has been taken away to one of her families to live with them because if left alone, she may commit suicide and I don’t want to lose the two at the same time.”
Asked why he threw the remains of the baby into an uncompleted building, he replied thus: “I did it as a result of fear that some residents might lynch me. It was after I threw the corpse of my baby to the next compound that I went back to attempt to set myself ablaze. I regretted my action. I beg God to forgive me my sin and bless the soul of my day.”
