Officers of the Edo State Police Command have arrested a 21-year-old man, Michael Samuel, in connection with the fatal stabbing of his girlfriend, whom he originally met and befriended on social media.
The incident occurred in the Ahor axis of Benin City, Edo State, after months of online communication between the suspect and the victim ended in a violent confrontation.
Social media romance turns fatal in Benin City
Confirming the arrest, the Edo State Commissioner of Police, Patrick Daaor, disclosed that the suspect and the deceased had built an online relationship over several months before agreeing to meet in person.
Following their extended virtual friendship, Samuel invited the victim to his residence in Ahor, Benin City. According to police reports, an altercation ensued inside the apartment, leading to the victim being fatally stabbed with a knife.
Commissioner Daaor stated that Samuel remains in police custody and will be formally charged in court upon the conclusion of ongoing investigations.
Suspect claims self-defence during argument
Speaking during a police parade, the suspect denied having any intention to murder the victim, claiming her death was an accidental outcome of a physical struggle over a weapon.
“I didn’t mean to kill her, but she got injured in the process of struggling with her for the knife during an argument,” Samuel told reporters.
According to Samuel, the disagreement broke out during a conversation shortly after her arrival at his home. He alleged that the victim picked up a kitchen knife during the argument and attempted to stab him, prompting him to disarm her.
“In the process, she picked up a knife and intended to stab me. She sustained an injury to her neck while we were struggling over the knife,” he claimed, adding that despite attempting to render assistance after she was injured, she succumbed to the neck wound.
Police authorities confirmed that forensic examinations and witness interviews are underway to determine the precise circumstances surrounding the killing before bringing formal charges against the suspect.
