A family meeting in Delta State ended in tragedy after a 47-year-old man allegedly killed his cousin during a dispute over the refund of a ₦1,000 burial contribution.
The incident occurred on December 12, 2025, in Ughelli South Local Government Area and was confirmed by the spokesperson of the Delta State Police Command, SP Edafe Bright, in a video shared on X on Monday.
Edafe explained that the family had gathered shortly after returning from the burial of a relative when an argument broke out over the refund of the contribution.
The disagreement reportedly escalated into a physical confrontation, leading to the death of a 42-year-old family member.
“This young man was dragging and bringing all down fire and brimstone that they must give him back his 1,000,” Edafe said.
He continued, “In the process of dragging, he started fighting. Somewhere along the line, according to him, while he was trying to wriggle his way out of the fight, he used his hand to hit one of the brothers, a relative of his, who eventually died.
“Now, N1,000 argument has led to the death of a family member. He was being cautioned even by this very guy who eventually passed.
“The spirit that possessed him, according to him, would not allow him to listen to the voice of wisdom. The man who died is 42 years. Somebody has died just because of N1,000.”
The suspect, identified as Ezekiel, expressed remorse and claimed the incident was accidental, saying he was unaware of the impact of his action.
He admitted that relatives had appealed to him to calm down, insisting that he did not intend to cause harm.
“It was by mistake. I didn’t know when I hit him,” he said.
Ezekiel added that the money was a burial contribution traditionally returned to contributors after the ceremony.
“After everything, they always shared it. That’s how we return the money to the owner,” he stated.
Edafe urged members of the public to exercise restraint, warning that minor disputes could easily spiral into fatal outcomes.
“Mine is to talk to our listeners to understand the importance of controlling your temper. You have to calm down. Any form of fighting could lead to death. It can turn into manslaughter. It could turn to murder. Please, a word they say is enough for the wise. Prevention is better than cure,” Edafe concluded.
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