A family gathering turned tragic in Delta State when a 47-year-old man allegedly killed his first cousin during a heated argument over the refund of a ₦1,000 contribution.

The incident, which occurred on December 12, 2025, in Ughelli South, was confirmed by the spokesperson for the Delta State Police Command, SP Edafe Bright, in a video shared on X on Monday.

According to Edafe, the family had recently returned from the burial of a relative and convened a meeting.

The atmosphere, however, soured when a dispute broke out regarding a ₦1,000 contribution refund.

“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 47-year-old Ezekiel, expressed remorse while speaking and claimed that the death was accidental.

He admitted that several relatives, including the deceased, had pleaded with him to calm down. “It was by mistake. I didn’t know when I hit him,” he said.

Ezekiel explained that the ₦1,000 in question was a contribution made for the burial rites, which is traditionally refunded to the owner after the ceremony.

“After everything, they always shared it. That’s how we return the money to the owner,” he stated.

Edafe used the tragic incident to urge the public to exercise emotional restraint even in the face of minor provocations.

“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. (The PUNCH)

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