The suspect has been arrested, the police said.

Isaac Umurie, a priest in the Anglican Church has been killed by his son in Delta State, South-south Nigeria.

The deceased was one of the ministers attached to St. John's Anglican Church Okpare-Olumu in Ughelli South Local Government Area of the state.

The cleric was hacked to death in his sleep, early on Wednesday by his 28-year-old son, Ufuoma Umurie, Punch newspaper reported.

Bright Edafe, the police in the state confirmed the incident to Punch newspaper. Mr Edafe, a superintendent of police, told the newspaper the suspect is in custody and would be prosecuted.

The incident, according to the newspaper, occurred around 2 a.m., with the suspect's mother narrowly escaping being killed along with her husband.

The suspect is said to have used a cutlass to hack his father's skull and other parts of the body while he was still sleeping before neighbours and church members gained access to the apartment.

It is not clear why the suspect committed the crime but a source told the Punch that the suspect was mentally unstable and that the incident was the second time he would attack his father.

During the first attack, according to the source, it took the intervention of the community vigilante group for the suspect to stop beating his father. The father, after the incident, pleaded that the community should not report his son's action to the police.

The incident occurred about two weeks after the police in the state declared a father wanted for allegedly killing his six-year-old daughter.

The suspect, Stanley Overmureye, fled the scene to escape arrest after committing the crime, PREMIUM TIMES reported.

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

Theophilus Udeh shot dead his 27-year-old son, Sunday, for eating food apparently meant for him (the father).