Three nabbed over beheading of Rivers schoolboy for ritual

The Rivers State Police Command has arrested three suspects, including a herbalist linked to the beheading of a nine-year-old boy, Destiny Peter, who went missing in the Ikwerre Local Government Area of Rivers State.

Spokesman for the state police command, Nnamdi Omoni, disclosed this in a statement in Port Harcourt on Friday.

Omoni also said the dismembered body of the schoolboy had been recovered and his remains deposited in a mortuary, adding that the suspects’ arrest was made possible through intelligence gathering.

The statement reads,” The Rivers State Police Command has arrested the trio of Kenneth Sylvanus ‘m’ 24yrs, a native of Azumini Isiokpo, Chibuzor Amadi ‘m’ 33yrs, a native of Omademe both in Ikwerre Local Government Area of Rivers State and Chijioke Ogbonnah ‘m’ 37yrs, a herbalist from Abia State but resides in Omagwa in the Ikwerre Local Government Area of Rivers State.

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“Recall that on 11/11/2021 one Destiny Peter nine-year-old was declared missing by his aunt who contacted the police and the community youths, whereupon a serious search was launched leading to the recovery of the headless body in the bush the following day. However, through intelligence gathering, the identities of Kenneth Sylvanus and Chibuzor Amadi were revealed. Chibuzor Amadi was immediately arrested and on interrogation, he took the police to an uncompleted building in Azumini Isiokpo where Kenneth Sylvanus was arrested.

“They were taken to the Isiokpo Area Command and later transferred to the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department for further investigation.

“In continuation of the investigation, men of the state CIID immediately took steps and went with the two suspects who gave clearer perspectives to the crime. They led the police to the bush where the dismembered head of the deceased was recovered behind an uncompleted building.’’

Omoni added that on further interrogation, Sylvanus confessed that he killed the boy and that it was Ogbonnah who asked him to bring a human head for him to buy.

According to the police spokesperson, based on his confession, Ogbonnah was arrested on Thursday in his house at Omagwa. The statement indicated that Ogbonnah denied any involvement in the murder, claiming that he was a herbalist and sold spiritual materials including treating all kinds of ailments.

He stated, “The command appeals for calm and promises to get to the root of this mindless killing to bring the culprits to justice.’’

Punch