From Ben Dunno, Warri
Police detectives in the Delta State Police Command have arrested members of a money ritual syndicate who abducted, killed and mutilated the body of a 39-year-old woman while on her way back from a farm at Obiarukwu in Ukwani council area.
The prime suspect in the murder of Joy Osameze, identified as Emmanuel Ejibe (18), who is said to be the nephew of the deceased, supposedly masterminded the crime and led other gang members to lay an ambush for her while returning from Abraka Farm Reserve.
Osameze was reportedly ambushed and taken to an isolated part of the bush, murdered in cold blood and her body parts severed purportedly for money rituals, with her other remains buried.
The operatives attached to the Special Anti-Kidnapping and Cyber Crime Squad (SAKCCS) set up by Commissioner of Police Ari Muhammed discovered the corpse while acting on a tip-off from the investigations conducted on the suspects arrested.
Preliminary investigations revealed that five suspects – Emmanuel Ojibe, 18, Osam Ogolime, 21, Ossai Reuben, 22, Odigili Chukwutem, 33, and Ukpaka Confidence, 20 – had earlier been arrested for the sudden disappearance of the deceased.
Speaking on how the body of Osameze was recovered, the police commissioner said it was based on the confession of one of the suspects that led to the arrest of other members.
Other members, according to him, are Razaq Ifamaye, 28, and Gbenga Olawuyi, 50 both natives of Ekiti State and one Samson Oduni, 31, all residents of Obiarukwu.
Ali stated that Ifamaye, confessed and led operatives to Shegelo Beach, Obiaruku on March 9, where a Baco bag containing a human skull and other human parts suspected to be that of the victim was recovered.
‘One Chikogwu Isaac, alias Ikukwu, aged 38 years, a native of Obiaruku, whose premises the exhibit was found, instigated four others who are now at large to attack the operatives in order to prevent the operatives from making the recovery.
‘He was, however, arrested and the human remains were taken to the Agbor General Hospital for autopsy while Investigations still continued in the case.
‘We have not closed the matter yet as we are still convinced that the syndicate have their members in other communities and we are hopeful of getting more information from them,’ Commissioner Ali stated.
