The Police have confirmed that a man, Stephen Nnadiogo, committed suicide by drinking poison after stabbing his four children and sister-in-law to death at Awada area of Onitsha in Anambra.
The kids were aged two, six, eight and 10 years, neighbours said.
Confirming the incident on Sunday, the Divisional Police Officer of Awada, Mr Martin Chijioke, said the police command had begun investigation to unravel the circumstances that led to the multiple murder by the 48 year-old man.
Preliminary investigation reveals that the suspect, after committing the murder, took poison and died, Chijioke said.
Neighbours of the suspected killer said the incident occurred at about 8.00 p.m. on Saturday at the mans residence at 21B Ntueke street, Awada Obosi in Idemili North Local Government Area.
The source said the suspects wife was not at home when the killings occurred while the house maid reportedly ran away. Another report said the man sent the housemaid on an errand before he killed his victims.
It was the cry of the housemaid that alerted residents of the area. We have never seen this type of incident before, one neighbour said.
Another neighbour said the suspect had been taken to psychiatric hospital several times and had shown signs of recovery before the murder.
The police later took the bodies of the victims and the suspected murderer to a mortuary.
Source: NAN