Men and officers of Edo State Police Command on Wednesday night bust a ritual shrine in a building along Asoro Slope, off Ekenhua Road, Uzebu Quarters in Benin city.
They arrested three suspects and recovered 20 mummified bodies. A viral video of the arrest showed a heap of mummified bodies in a house at Ekenhua Road which attracted large crowd of residents.
The command in a statement signed by the deputy spokesperson, ASP Jennifer Iwegbu said the arrest was possible through information made available to the police.
The statement reads in part, “In pursuance of its operational mandate of nipping crimes in the bud, Operatives of the Edo State Police Command today 17/08/2022 unravelled a suspected ritual shrine.
“Following credible information at the Command’s disposal that some corpses were discovered in a building along Asoro Slope off Ekenhua Road, Uzebu Quarters, Benin City. Operatives of the command immediately swung into action and mobilised to the scene. 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.
“Fifteen mummified male corpses, three mummified female corpses and two mummified children corpses were discovered at the scene.”
“To this end, the Edo State Commissioner of Police, CP Abutu Yaro, has directed the Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of state CID to carry out a discreet investigation to unravel the circumstances surrounding the discovered corpses and therefore enjoin the general public to be calm as the command will continue to ensure the safety of all law-abiding citizens and those residing in Edo State.”
