Police in the Northern Regional capital of Tamale have arrested a 20-year-old baker, Abubakar Iddrisu, for allegedly slitting the throat of three children, believed to be his own nephews.

Two of the brothers; Mustapha Aliu, aged 9 and Mustapha Mohammed, 7 years, survived the horrific ordeal and are currently on admission at the Tamale Teaching Hospital, but the third, Mustapha Abdul Jahir, also aged 8, died instantly.

The incident is said to have occurred in the early hours of today at about 4 a.m., as the three brothers who reside with their mother Zainab Mustapha, and are co-tenants with the accused, were fast-asleep in the compound of the house.

Zainab was awoken by the cry of the kids and saw the three kids in a pool of blood. She raised an alarm that attracted people to the scene.

Abubakar is said to have attempted escaping but was pursued and arrested by some residents and sent to the Tamale police station.

The Northern Regional Police Command has confirmed the incident.

Snippets of information gleaned by peacefmonline.com say the perpetrator of the dastardly act, Abubakar Iddrisu, claimed the victims repeatedly stole proceeds from his bakery business, hence his decision to slash their throats with a sharp machete as a form of punishment to deter others.

In a related development, Chief Inspector Ebenezer Tetteh, Public Relations Officer of the Northern Regional Police Command, says the suspect will soon be arraigned before court to fast track his trial.

Chief Inspector Tetteh said the mother, out of shock, fainted and is on admission at the same hospital.