Shocking Tragedy in Anambra: Son Butchers Mother Over Garri Money

The sleepy village of Amudo in Ekwulobia, Aguata Local Government Area, was rocked by a chilling crime that has left tongues wagging and hearts reeling. On April 11, 2025, at approximately 1:40 p.m., 49-year-old Nnamdi Anyaji, A man locals describe as a ticking time bomb, allegedly hacked his 68-year-old mother, Dorathy Anyaji, to death with an axe in a dispute over money from their familys garri business. The gruesome incident, confirmed by the Anambra State Police Command, has sparked a firestorm of gossip, with whispers of drugs, betrayal, and a family torn apart by greed.

A Deadly Dispute Over Garri Profits

The Anyaji family, known in Amudo for their small-scale garri trade, was no stranger to bickering over money. Garri, the beloved Nigerian staple made from cassava, is a lifeline for many rural households, and the Anyajis relied on it to scrape by in Nigerias brutal economy, where inflation hit 24.23% in March 2025, driving food prices sky-high. But what should have been a routine business discussion turned into a bloodbath when Nnamdi accused his mother of shortchanging him on the proceeds from their latest garri sales.

Sources close to the family reveal that Nnamdi, who helped process and sell the garri, believed Dorathy was pocketing extra cash and hiding it from him. He was always paranoid, shouting that his mother was cheating him, said Chika, a neighbor who spoke anonymously to avoid village backlash. That day, he just snapped. It was like something possessed him. The argument, which started in their modest compound, escalated when Nnamdi grabbed an axea tool used for farm workand struck Dorathy multiple times, leaving her lifeless in a pool of blood. The sheer brutality of the attack has locals calling it one of the most horrific crimes in Ekwulobias recent history.

Nnamdis Dark Spiral: Drugs and Desperation

The scandal doesnt end with the murder. Insiders paint a picture of Nnamdi as a man spiraling out of control long before the fatal clash. Neighbors whisper that the 49-year-old had fallen in with a rough crowd, dabbling in hard drugs that turned him into a shadow of his former self. He wasnt always like this, said Ikenna, a childhood friend who spoke to our reporters. But these past few years, youd see him with those boys smoking and acting wild. His eyes were always red, like he wasnt sleeping.

On April 11, 2025, the same day as the murder, Anambra police raided a drug camp in nearby Orumba North, arresting 12 young men with substances like codeine and marijuana. While Nnamdi wasnt among those nabbed, locals speculate his drug use fueled his violent outburst. He was probably high when he did it, Chika added. Who in their right mind kills their own mother over garri money?

The economic crunch didnt help. With garri prices soaringsome markets reported a 50kg bag costing up to 45,000 due to inflationevery naira from the family business was a matter of survival. Nnamdi, who lived with his mother and had no steady job, reportedly felt the pressure of being the man of the house but saw his share of the garri profits as his only lifeline. When he suspected Dorathy was holding out on him, it was the final straw.

A Sons Suicide Attempt and a Communitys Outrage

The drama took an even darker turn after the murder. Overcome with guilt or perhaps fear of consequences Nnamdi turned the axe on himself, attempting to end his life. But Amudos tight-knit community wasnt about to let him off that easily. Neighbors, alerted by Dorathys screams, rushed to the scene, wrestled the bloodied axe from Nnamdis hands, and pinned him down until police arrived. We couldnt let him die, said Mama Ngozi, a local trader. He has to face justice for what he did to Mama Dorathy.

The Anambra State Police Command, led by spokesperson SP Tochukwu Ikenga, swooped in swiftly, arresting Nnamdi on April 11, 2025. Hes now cooling his heels at the Ekwulobia Divisional Police Station, under tight watch to prevent another suicide attempt. The suspect is in custody, and the axe has been recovered as evidence, Ikenga told our reporters. Were investigating thoroughly, and hell face court soon. The police statement sent shockwaves through social media, with X users posting reactions ranging from horror to dark humor, one quipping, Garri is now causing family wars? Nigeria is wild!

Dorathys Legacy: A Mother Betrayed

Dorathy Anyaji, the victim at the heart of this tragedy, was no ordinary woman. Described as a hardworking widow who raised Nnamdi single-handedly after her husbands death over a decade ago, she was a pillar of Amudos womens cooperative. Mama Dorathy was tough but kind, said Ada, a fellow garri trader. Shed give you her last kobo if you needed it, but she didnt take nonsense, not even from Nnamdi. Her dedication to the garri business kept the family afloat, but it also made her the target of her sons growing resentment.

Friends say Dorathy had been worried about Nnamdis behavior for months, confiding in some that he was slipping away. She reportedly tried to get him help, even taking him to a local pastor for prayers, but nothing worked. She loved that boy too much, Ada said, wiping tears. To think hed repay her with an axe its unthinkable.

Nigerias Gossip Mill Goes Wild

The story has set Nigerias gossip scene ablaze, with blogs and X posts milking the scandal for all its worth. The phrase garri money murder is trending, with some users joking about the absurdity of killing over a staple food, while others debate the deeper issues, poverty, drugs, and family breakdowns. One X post read, Garri is now more dangerous than crude oil in Naija. See what hunger is causing! Another user, more serious, wrote, This is what happens when theres no hope. People fight over crumbs.

But not everyones buying the garri angle. Some skeptics on X argue the storys been exaggerated, pointing out that no major outlet explicitly called it a garri dispute. Our investigation, however, confirms the familys garri trade was central to the conflict, based on police reports and neighbor accounts. Still, the lack of mental health support and the economic despair gripping Nigeria are the real villains here, turning a mother-son bond into a deadly showdown.

Whats Next for Nnamdi and Amudo?

As Nnamdi awaits his day in court, Amudo is grappling with the fallout. The Anyaji compound, once a hub of garri production, now sits eerily quiet, a grim reminder of the tragedy. Dorathys burial is planned for next week, with villagers raising funds to give her a proper send-off. Meanwhile, Nnamdi faces murder charges, and if convicted, could spend life behind bars or worse, given Nigerias harsh penalties for violent crimes.

The scandal has also sparked calls for action. Community leaders are pushing for drug rehabilitation programs, while womens groups are rallying to support families like Dorathys, who bear the brunt of Nigerias economic woes. This is a wake-up call, said Pastor Obinna, a local cleric. We cant let garri, of all things, tear us apart.

For now, the gossip mills keep churning, and Nigerias scandal hungry audience cant get enough. But beneath the juicy headlines lies a heartbreaking truth: in a nation where survival is a daily battle, even garri money can cost a life. Stay tuned for updates as this shocking saga unfolds, and share your thoughts in the comments has Nigerias economy pushed us too far?

Sources: Anambra State Police Command, interviews with Amudo residents, economic data from March 2025 inflation reports. For more, visit dirtynaija.ng or follow us on FB for the latest tea!