Nelson Chidiebere, Port Harcourt
The Rivers State Police Command on Thursday arrested one suspect in connection with the discovery of a murdered 13-year-old female student whose remains were found in a shallow grave in Amaku-Mba community in Etche Local Government Area of Rivers State.
The victim, an SS1 student of Community Secondary School, Okehi, Etche was said to have been kidnapped on her way home from an errand her parents sent her on Tuesday morning.
It was gathered that some yet-to-be-identified youths accosted and dragged the girl from her bicycle into a nearby bush, where they allegedly killed and buried her remains.
The Community Development Committee Chairman of Amaku-Mba, Kingsley Anyanwu on Thursday, said the incident had caused serious panic in the community.
He however called on the security agencies to ensure that the assailants are fished out to face the wrath of the law.
Anyanwu said, “She was sent on an errand by her parents. On her way back, a group of boys kidnapped her and she was killed and buried along the Okehi-Amako-Mba Road.
“As it is now, the community is no longer safe. So we use this opportunity to call on the Commissioner of Police and our local government chairman to fish out those who are responsible for this barbaric act.”
On his part, the Spokesperson for the Etche Local Government Council, Robinson Oluo, who condemned the incident, stated that one suspect had been arrested in connection with the incident.
Oluo said, “We want to condemn the murder of the 13-year-old. As we speak right now, the police have arrested one suspect in connection with the death of the young girl.
“The suspect is currently at the Okehi Divisional Police Station.”
Spokesperson for the state Police Command, SP Grace Iringe-Koko, when contacted, said investigation into the incident had been launched to uncover what led to the murder of the teenager, as well as those involved.
She stated that the corpse of the victim was exhumed from a shallow grave in an uncompleted building by operatives of the Police, adding that the corpse had been deposited in a morgue.
She said, “Her parents sent her to go and buy meat in an abattoir and she didn’t return at the time they expected her to have come back.
“So they went in search of her and saw her bicycle by a bush path.
So they immediately informed the police, and the Divisional Police Officer swung into action and led a team to the bush.
There they saw an uncompleted building and a shallow grave. So they (operatives) exhumed her corpse.
“One of the suspects has been arrested. Her corpse has been deposited in a morgue and investigation is ongoing.”
