By Onome Oghenetega
A crack team of police operatives from the Delta State Police Command have arrested four suspected ritualists in the state.
The police in a statement on Tuesday signed by the State Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Bright Edafe, said one of the suspects, a native doctor, was arrested with two human skulls at Ekpan-Ovu in Ethiope East Local Government Area of the state.
The suspect, Godfrey Akpudje, was alleged to have exhumed the corpse of a woman buried in the community since 2019.
The statement said, “On the 24/6/2021 at about 1700hrs, one Ejiro Okoro ‘m’ 35yrs reported that his sister (Name withheld) aged 65yrs who died sometime in 2019 and was buried at Ekpan Ovu, that the corpse was exhumed by unknown person.
“On the strength of this report, the DPO Isiokolo Division swung into action, and detailed police detectives to investigate.
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“During the course of investigation, information gathered through intelligence revealed that, it was one Godfrey Akpudje ‘m’ 60yrs who happens to be a native doctor that exhumed the corpse, and removed the skull.
“He was immediately arrested and two human skulls were recovered from him. He said he got one of the human skulls from Osun state from a native doctor who is now late, investigation is ongoing.”
DSP Edafe added that operatives of the command also arrested three suspects with fresh human blood in a container being conveyed to Kwale area of the state.
He gave the names of the arrested suspects to include Monday Nwite, Madabuchi Nweke and Nwite Sunday.
The police spokesman added that the suspects are from Ebenta village in Ohaukwu LGA of Ebonyi State.
“On the 28/6/2021 at about 1145hrs, Dragon patrol team 31 while on stop and search duty at Nsukwa junction along Ogwashi-Uku/Kwale road intercepted a commuter sienna bus travelling from Asaba to Kwale. All passengers were asked to submit themselves for search During the search three suspects were found with a container filled with Fresh human blood.
The three suspects namely Monday Nwite ‘m’ 27yrs, Madabuchi Nweke ‘m’ 26yrs and Nwite Sunday ‘m’ 21yrs all of Ebenta village in Ohaukwu LGA, Ebonyi State were immediately arrested.
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“During interrogation the suspects confessed to have murdered some unknown persons in Ebonyi State and were on their way with the murdered person’s blood to a native doctor whose identity is unknown for now but resides in Kwale.
“They were taking the blood to the said native doctor for rituals purposes. One rosary necklace tied with charms was also recovered from them. Investigation is ongoing.”
The statement further said the State Commissioner of Police, Ari Muhammed Ali, charged officers and men of the command to remain proactive to ensure that criminal activities are nipped in the bud.
