The police are searching for the suspect, an official said.

The Police in Delta State, South-south Nigeria, have declared a man wanted for allegedly killing his six-year-old daughter.

The suspect, Stanley Overmureye, allegedly killed his daughter, Sankey, on Saturday, the police spokesperson in the state, Bright Edafe, said in a statement sent to PREMIUM TIMES on Sunday.

Mr Edafe, a superintendent of police said the police got wind of the killing through a brother of the suspect.

The suspect, according to Mr Edafe, fled after committing the crime.

"The divisional police officer on receipt of the complaint detailed operatives who went to the scene at Uviama New Layout, Agbarho Ughelli North Local Government Area, and recovered the corpse of the little child whose head was smashed several times on the wall.

"The corpse was recovered and deposited at the mortuary. The father, who is the principal suspect, is currently at large," the police said.

The police did not state the circumstances which led to the killing of the child.

"The Commissioner of Police, Olufemi Abaniwonda, saddened by this barbaric act, has ordered a serious manhunt for the fleeing suspect and assures members of the public that the suspect will be arrested and justice will be served."

The police urged members of the public to volunteer information that could lead to the arrest of the fleeing suspect.

Two months ago a similar incident was reported in Abia State, South-east Nigeria, where a 70-year-old man was arrested by the police for allegedly killing his son over food.

The septuagenarian, Theophilus Lopaukwu Udeh shot and killed his 27-year-old son, Sunday, for eating food apparently meant for him (the father).

The father, who had not eaten his food in the morning, reportedly came back hungry only to discover that his son had taken the food meant for him.

Angered by the son's action, Mr Udeh, reportedly went inside his room, brought out a gun, fired at his son, and killed him on the spot.