The Ondo State Command of the Nigeria Police Force has arrested a bricklayer, Elela Monday, for reportedly killing his 14-year-old son whom he accused of serial criminal activities.
The incident occurred at Ajowa Akoko, Akoko North-West Local Government Area of the state.
The 34-year-old father of seven confessed that he killed his son and buried him in a shallow grave for “embarrassing the family by engaging in housebreaking, stealing and other criminal activities.”
Ondo State Commissioner of Police, CP Wilfred Afolabi, paraded the accused father alongside 24 other suspects arrested for various crimes at the command headquarters in Akure on Sunday, January 12, 2025.
“On the 30th of December, the police received an anonymous call that one Elela Monday living in Ajowa Akoko killed his 14-year-old son named Tope Elela and buried him in a shallow grave under a banana tree behind his house,” the CP stated.
“The suspect was arrested, and during interrogation, he said the boy was always involved in criminal activities and was embarrassing him, so in order to put a stop to the disgrace, he and his wife decided to kill the boy.”
Speaking with journalists, Elela said he only beat his son and didn’t intend to kill him.
“I did not know that the boy would die when I beat him in the night after he escaped from the custody of the State Security Network codename Amotekun,” Elela said.
He added that he usually handed over the late son to Amotekun or vigilante groups whenever he was arrested for stealing or other criminal activities for punishment.
Elela, however, noted that his wife took to her heels alongside other children when she got to know about his arrest.
“The deceased had escaped from Amotekun’s detention and was embarrassing the family as a result of criminal activities he engaged in. When he came back, we beat him and went to sleep. The following morning, his siblings discovered that he was dead and I decided to bury him under a banana tree,” he narrated.
