Poly student kills friend over unpaid debt in A/Ibom

A student of the federal polytechnic, Oko in Anambra state who was doing his industrial attachment in Akwa Ibom State is now answering questions from security agents about how he allegedly killed his friend, dismembering the body and dumping the parts in a nearby bush.

Stephen Anona, 32, from Njikoka in Anambra State allegedly slaughtered Daniel Bassey Solomon, from Uruan local government area of Akwa Ibom like goat with the head, hands and legs cut-off and carefully stacked the body parts inside bags and dumped it close to his house.

Investigations showed that Anona  gave N750,000 as loan to Solomon to open a barbing saloon in Uyo with the hope that the money would be paid back in due course.

Solomon who is from Nwaniba in Uruan local government area lived with Anona on Itu road in Uyo metropolis.

According to Anona, he decided to kill his friend after he failed to show proof that he has made good use of the money he loaned him to start the business.

“I am here because of my boy (Daniel Bassey Solomon). He used to serve me in my shop.

“ I was angry with him to the extent of carrying machete. What happened is that I borrowed the sum of Seven Hundred and Fifty Thousand Naira (N750, 000) from the bank and gave to him to run a salon business.

“So when I demanded the money back, and also asked him to show me the shop rent, the receipt and other materials for the salon, he refused, that is why I did what I did,” he said.

The incident was said to have taken place on Tuesday July 28, a few distance from the town campus of the University of Uyo.

After killing his friend who once served him, Anona took to his heels and returned to his hometown in Anambra state.

But he was arrested by the police who brought him back to Akwa Ibom State apparently to face the consequences of his action.

Confirming the incident, Gabriel Achong, commissioner of police, Akwa Ibom state command described it as a despicable act wondering how minor misunderstanding over money would degenerate to such a level where human life is destroyed and reiterated the resolve of the police to ensure a zero tolerance for crime.

“I don’t know whether some people are animals or whether they are worried by instinct.

“A human being (Stephen) invited somebody working for him (Daniel) to his house because they had misunderstanding over money.

 “He invited the guy to his house, when they finished talking, the guy went to sleep and he carried a machete and removed his head.

“It did not end there, after removing his head killing him, he carried the same machete, removed the two hands, removed the two laps, carried the laps and the hands, put it into his bag, went and dump them somewhere, carried the remaining part of the body into a ‘Ghana- must go- back’ and dumped it in a gutter.

“He carried the head in the dustbin and went and dump in the bush, and went and throw the hands and laps somewhere else”, Achong explained.

He said Anona would soon be charged  to court for alleged murder.