The Nigeria Police Force, Ebonyi State Command, has paraded suspected organ harvesters for the killing of three persons, alongside other criminals.
The Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Joshua Ukandu, made this known when he briefed journalists at the state command headquarters over the weekend.
According to Ukandu, the suspects, Obinna Nwanguru and Oda Peter, confessed to the crime.
His words: “On 11/10/2024, Mrs. Blessing Chikezie Onyekachi reported to the command that her husband, Mr. Chikezie Idenyi, was missing. He left home on 14/09/2024, telling her he was going to Lagos on a business trip, but she did not hear from him again.
“Command operatives from the Anti-Kidnapping Unit, through a painstaking investigation and credible intelligence, arrested one Innocent Elebe and Eze Elechi; they made useful statements, which led the police to arrest Obinna Nwanguru and Oda Peter.”
Operatives of the command have recovered the corpses of Chikezie Idenyi and Chibu Odii, while efforts are ongoing to recover the remains of the third victim.
However, in an interview with the suspects, they confessed to killing the victims.
Obinna said, “It is true that we killed Chikezie Idenyi, Chibu Odii, and Eze Fabian on different dates. We killed them while trying to extract their blood/organs to cure an imbecile patient (Down syndrome). We collected so much money—close to N3,000,000.00, a big goat, and a big ram—from the child’s father. All those things were a scam; we just didn’t want her father to demand his money again.”
Also, Mr Peter, who is the father of the child with Down syndrome, said, “I met Obinna as a traditionalist to help him repair his Down syndrome child, and he promised to heal his child. One night, Obinna came to my house with a man and told me the man was mad and that the madman had a role to play in healing my child. So when the time for the ritual started, the man escaped from them and jumped into the river, and the traditionalist told me that the man was rejected.”
The police spokesperson also noted that the command has employed strategic steps through increased stakeholder engagement to help bring crime to the barest minimum in the state.
His words: “During the month under review, the command arrested 162 males and 15 females, totalling 177 suspects for various offences. Ninety-two suspects have already been charged in court, while others will be arraigned once investigations are complete.”
Speaking on kidnapping issues, he said: “On 17/10/2024, Miss Nwigbo was kidnapped and held hostage in a forest behind Okwagba Primary School by Ominiyi Friday, Ubochi Ifeanyi, and others at large. The kidnappers raped and held the victim for four days while they collected a ransom of ₦400,000 before they freed her. On 22/10/2024, operatives of the command, who had been on the trail of the kidnappers, arrested the two suspects, while efforts are ongoing to arrest others at large. They will be arraigned in court to answer for their crimes.”
Speaking on murder cases, he said: “Operatives of the command arrested one Chukwuebuka Okemiri, who conspired with others at large to kill HRH Ezeogo Ibo Ubani, the traditional ruler of Ihie Autonomous Community in Akaeze Ivo LGA of Ebonyi State, on 03/05/2024. Efforts are still ongoing to arrest others at large.”
The PPRO further said: “On 30/10/2024, operatives of the command attached to the Crack Unit, acting on credible intelligence, nabbed one Utobo Onyekachi, AKA ‘Azaman,’ who is a member of a notorious armed robbery syndicate terrorising citizens in Abakaliki. The suspect led the police officers to the syndicate’s hideout in Igbeagu Izzi, where his gang members, upon sighting the police officers, took to their heels and abandoned one Beretta pistol, which was recovered and, upon investigation, was found to have been snatched from a police officer.”
He further disclosed that, “Hinging on the reinvigorated community policing initiative of the command under the leadership of CP Anthonia A. Uche-Anya, fdc, the command successfully addressed a critical situation in Umuezeali Oriuzor Community, Ezza North LGA. A notorious individual, Friday James Nworie, had been terrorising the community, but following a tip, the command apprehended him. During interrogation, Nworie confessed to possessing a locally made single-barrel pistol, which was recovered along with five live cartridges.”
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