Father Suspects Foul Play After Three Children Found Dead on Farm In Ondo

A father of three siblings found dead on a farm near Owena Army Barracks in Ondo State has raised suspicion over the circumstances surrounding their deaths, alleging that the children may not have drowned as initially believed.

According to The Cable, Samuel Jonah, father of the victims, said on Monday that his suspicion deepened after he examined the bodies of his children and noticed what he described as signs inconsistent with drowning.

The three siblings, including 11-year-old twins, were found dead on a farm around Owena Army Barracks on Saturday.

The victims were identified as Joshua Jonah, 11; his twin brother, Jacob Jonah, 11; and their five-year-old sister, Blessing Jonah.

The spokesperson for the Ondo State Police Command, Abayomi Jimoh, said the children had accompanied their father to the farm on Friday but later left to return home.

READ ALSO: Twins, Sister Found Dead On Ondo Farm

According to Jimoh, Jonah became worried after returning home and discovering that the children had not arrived, prompting a search for them.

He said the bodies were eventually found “around the bank of a small river within the farm”.

Recounting the events that preceded the discovery, Jonah said he reported the disappearance to military police officers at the barracks after his children failed to return home on Friday.

He said he and his wife continued searching for the children the following day and even contacted their pastor to determine whether they had gone to church.

Jonah, a native of Benue State who has lived in Akure since 2003, said he was praying when a soldier contacted him and asked him to return to the barracks.

“I ran from the prayer ground to the barracks and met the soldiers. There is a small stream near my farm,” he said.

“When I got there, they held me back for a while. Army officers interviewed me and asked whether I had any problem with anybody. I told them I did not have any problem with anyone.”

Jonah said an officer later informed him that his children had died in the small stream.

The father said he immediately questioned how three children could have drowned at the same time.

“I asked them how it was possible for my three children to die in the water at the same time,” he said.

According to Jonah, the bodies had been covered with leaves when he arrived at the scene.

“When I got there, they had covered their bodies with leaves. I removed the leaves with my own hands. I was deeply pained because those were my only children,” he said.

He claimed he noticed blood around the bodies after removing the leaves.

“When I uncovered them, I saw blood coming out from their ears. I also saw blood coming from the body of my youngest daughter. I have never seen someone die in water and bleed like that,” Jonah said.

The grieving father further questioned whether the condition of the bodies was consistent with drowning.

“There was no water in their stomachs, and they were not very wet. I do not think they died through drowning,” he said.

Jonah alleged that other people may have been responsible for the deaths, although he did not provide evidence to substantiate the claim.

“Something must have happened to them. I suspect bandits or some other people may have been involved,” he said.

He appealed to the Ondo State Government to assist the family in establishing the circumstances and actual cause of death of the three children.