BENIN CITY — Tragedy struck at Omosomwan street off Igunma ,Aruogba quarters, GRA Benin City on March 26,2024, as a seventy – seven years old man, Mr Sunday Imohimi Imoukhuede was killed by thugs sent by his in-law.
Narrating the incident to our reporter, a close family source, who spoke on condition of anonymity said that the people that came to late Mr Imoukhuede’s house went straight to him and attacked him,they left him unconscious He was rushed to the hospital, but later died from internal bleeding.
The family source said that, late Mr Imoukhuede’s daughter, Evelyn Kelly Uwhojega is married to Kelly Uwhojega, son of Steven Uwhojega who is alleged to have sent the killers .
Kelly was told by his father and relatives to bring their. 9 years old daughter, Karisma Kelly Uwhojega to perform the rites of passage ,ie female circumcision as it was the tradition of their family.
The source said that he alrightly refused to allow his daughter to go through the Female Genital Mutilation(FGM), which according to him is outdated, fetish and a demeaning act on a girl- child.
The source said that this was the beginning of Kelly and his family’s ordeals in the hand of his own father. As several threats and harassment were meted out on him, his wife and daughter.
The source also said that the Mr Steven Uwhojega who his a powerful and influential person in the community said that it is the culture and tradition of his family that a female child must be circumcised as all female members of his family have gone through the process and Karisma should not be an exception.
The incessant harassment and threats made Kelly and his family to eloped, thinking it would save them.
It was gathered that, when the father did not see Kelly and his family, he turned the heat on Evelyn’s father, who also supported that his grand daughter must not be circumcised.
The on and forth argument and the realization of the fact the Karisma will not go through the process of circumcision angered him, and he sent thugs to Mr Imoukhuede’s house to attack him and that attack led to his death.
While lamenting the gruesome murder of the septuagenarian, the source said that late Mr Imoukhuede was advised by the family to report the threats and harassment on to the police, but he treated it as a family matter.
He also said that, though the murder was reported to the police, it was treated treated with laxity, because of the influential position of Mr Steven Uwhojega
