The police in Edo State have arrested three male suspects while busting a ritual shrine along Asoro slope, off Ekenhua Road, Uzebu quarters in Benin.
Deputy Police Public Relations Officer in the state, Jennifer Iwegbu, disclosed the arrest in a statement on Thursday, saying operatives acted on information from members of the public.
She said operatives of the Edo State Police Command also recovered 20 corpses from the shrine during the operation.
Two of the suspects – Chimaobi Okoewu and Oko Samuel come from Afikpo in Ebonyi State while the third suspect, Gideon Sunday. Police operatives are making efforts to apprehend other fleeing suspects in connection with the crime.
According to the deputy police spokesperson, the 20 recovered corpses include 15 males, three females and two children.
“Following credible information that some corpses were discovered in a building along Asoro slope off Ekenhua Road, Uzebu quarters, Benin city, Operatives of the command immediately mobilised to the scene,” the statement read.
“At the scene, three suspects, Chimaobi Okoewu ‘M’ and Oko Samuel ‘M’ both of Afikpo in Ebonyi and Gideon Sunday ‘M’ of Akwa-Ibom State were arrested while others fled. An intensive effort is ongoing to arrest the other fleeing suspects.
“15 mummified male corpses, 3 mummified female corpses and 2 mummified children corpses were discovered at the scene.”
Reacting to the arrest, the Edo State Commissioner of Police, Abutu Yaro, directed the Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) to carry out a discreet investigation to unravel the circumstances surrounding the discovered corpses.
He equally called on the general public to be calm; assuring that the Police Command will continue to ensure the safety of all law-abiding citizens and those residing in the state.