In the first incident, a middle-aged man allegedly attacked and killed his mother with a cutlass in Nkporogwu Ukehe community.
The deceased, identified as 60-year-old Felicia Anikwe, was allegedly beheaded by her son, Onyebuchi Anikwe, aged about 40.
Sources in the area said the incident sparked outrage among villagers, who descended on the suspect before security operatives intervened.
Barely minutes later in another part of the council area, tragedy struck again at Agu-Ekwegbe community when a man allegedly hacked his sister and her young daughter to death.
The victims, identified as Nwabuche Eze and her daughter, Favour Eze, were reportedly attacked with a cutlass by the woman’s brother, Joshua Eze.
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The killings sent panic across the community, with residents said to have mobilised and attacked the suspect before police operatives arrived at the scene.
The spokesperson of the Enugu State Police Command, Daniel Ndukwe, confirmed the incidents in a statement on Sunday, May 17, 2026.
According to the statement, operatives attached to the Igbo-Etiti Division responded to a distress report at about 3:10 p.m. concerning the alleged murder of Felicia Anikwe.
“The Enugu State Police Command confirms two separate gruesome murder incidents that occurred on 15th May 2026 in different communities within Igbo-Etiti Local Government Area” the statement read.
“In the first incident, Police Operatives attached to the Igbo-Etiti Division, at about 3:10 p.m., responded to a report alleging that one Anikwe Onyebuchi (male, aged about 40) used a cutlass to behead and murder his 60-year-old mother, Anikwe Felicia, at Nkporogwu Ukehe Community.
“The corpse and severed head of the deceased were recovered and taken to the hospital, where doctors confirmed her dead, after which the remains were deposited in the mortuary for preservation and autopsy.”
Police said the suspect was rescued from an angry mob that had severely beaten him and was subsequently rearrested and taken to hospital for treatment.
On the second incident, the command said operatives of the Distress Response Squad stationed at Ekwegbe Junction received a distress call around 3:18 p.m. concerning another brutal attack in Agu-Ekwegbe community.
“In a separate incident reported the same day at about 3:18 p.m., operatives of the Command’s Distress Response Squad stationed at Ekwegbe Junction along the Ugwuagu/Opi/Nsukka Road responded to a distress call alleging that one Joshua Eze similarly used a cutlass to sever the heads of his sister, Nwabuche Eze, and her little daughter, Favour Eze, at Agu-Ekwegbe Community,” the statement read.
“The remains of the deceased victims were recovered and taken to the hospital, where doctors confirmed them dead, after which the corpses were deposited in the mortuary for preservation and autopsy.”
The command added that the suspect was rescued from a mob in critical condition but later died in hospital.
Police further revealed that preliminary investigations suggested possible ritual motives behind the killings.
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“Preliminary investigations further revealed that after allegedly murdering the victims, he buried their remains in a shallow grave alongside a dead white cock, suggesting possible ritual intentions,” the statement added.
Reacting to the incidents, the Commissioner of Police in the state, Mamman Giwa, condemned the killings and ordered immediate investigations into the circumstances surrounding both attacks.
He also warned residents against taking laws into their hands through mob action, urging members of the public to always hand over suspects to lawful authorities for proper investigation and prosecution.