A tragic case of mistaken identity has rocked Iye-Ekiti, Ilejemeje Local Government Area of Ekiti State, where a father accidentally shot and killed his 15-year-old son, believing he was a monkey invading their farm.
Ekiti State Commissioner of Police, Joseph Eribo, confirmed the heartbreaking incident during a book launch in Ado-Ekiti titled ‘Modern Security and Safety Practices in Nigeria.’
According to the police chief, preliminary investigations revealed that the father had taken his son to the farm for routine agricultural work. The man, whose name was not disclosed, had reportedly been battling repeated monkey intrusions and had brought a firearm along for protection.
While on the farm, he noticed movement in a nearby tree and, assuming it was a monkey, fired a shot.
Tragically, the figure in the tree turned out to be his own son, who was hit and confirmed dead shortly afterward.
“The sad event happened at Iye Ekiti, in Ilejemeje Local Government Area of the state,” Eribo said.
The father has been arrested and is currently in custody as investigations into the incident continue.
