Police arrest domestic staff for allegedly killing employer, 89-year-old mother

The police in Lagos on Thursday said a 22-year old domestic staff in Surulere has been arrested for allegedly killing his employer and her mother.

The suspect, identified as Joseph Ogbu, a native of Oju local government area of Benue State, allegedly committed the act in the early hours of Thursday, Bala Elkana, the Lagos State police spokesperson said this in a statement.

According to the statement, the Surulere Police Station received a distress call from the address of the deceased in the early hours of Thursday that an employee murdered his employer and her mother.

Mr. Ogbu was employed on Tuesday, June 18, and he allegedly killed his employer two days after his employment.

The employer who was murdered was identified as Oreoluwa John, 38, and her 89-year-old mother, Adejoke John.

The suspect stabbed Mrs John to death when they had an argument about cleaning the house, and the 89-year old mother died due to the shock.

According to the police, the suspect claimed that “his employer asked him to clean the house at about 9 p.m. of 19th June but an argument ensued between them, which prompted him to stab her with a knife.”

“The shock of her death made her aged mother to slum and died,” the statement added.

The police said after confessing to the crime, Mr Ogbu said he moved some valuable properties such as electronics, handsets, and household items into the employer’s Toyota Camry car and attempted to escape.

He was arrested by police officers who were on patrol at the Ogunlana area.

The police said they recovered the vehicle and other items that were stolen from the suspect.







Mr Elkana, a Deputy Superintendent of Police, said the crime scene was sealed off and the corpses taken to Mainland Hospital, Yaba, for autopsy.

The State Criminal Investigation Department, Yaba, is still investigating the case and the suspect would be charged to court, the police said.