A suspected ritualist in Bayelsa State identified as Godspower Ebisimiagh, also known as Bobby, has denied claims that he was paid N1 million to kill a six-year-old boy in Ovom community, Yenagoa, Bayelsa State for ritual purposes.
The 24-year-old suspect, who stated this while in police custody yesterday, said during interrogation that he was not contracted by anyone to carry out the murder.
Bobby, whose head was heavily bandaged after being attacked by a mob, claimed that he was under the influence of drugs when he smashed the boy on the ground and hid the body in a sack.
Authorities of the Bayelsa State Police Command, confirmed that Godspower Ebisimiagh is a member of a notorious cult group and suspected he was contracted to procure a boy for human ritual.
According to the police, despite the fact that an autopsy has been ordered on the corpse of the boy, a discreet investigation is being conducted to ascertain the likelihood of the claims that the killer was contracted for one million naira to kill a boy for charm protection ritual.
But the suspect, Ebisimiagh alias Bobby, denied that he was paid N1 million to kill and bring the boy for cult-related ritual. “I was not paid to bring the boy for ritual,” he insisted.
On why he murdered the boy and kept the corpse in a sack, Bobby said he was on drugs when he smashed the boy on the floor and kept the remains in a sack.
“On that faithful day, I took Ice (Crystal Methamphetamine) and while I was eating with the boy, I stood up and smashed him on the floor”, Bobby confessed.
However, one of the senior police officers around counted Ebisimiagh’s statement and accused him of lacing the food given to the boy with poison.
“If he smashed the boy on the floor, why was there no sign of injury on the body?” he said.
The commissioner of police, Francis Idu, while speaking with newsmen on the development, said he allowed media interaction with the suspect to dismiss the claim of alleged cover-up and that he had died in police custody after the angry mob tried to lynch him.
He confirmed that the police were investigating the allegations of the suspect being contracted to procure a small boy for human sacrifice by his cult group, saying, “We are also conducting autopsy to know if the food given to the boy was laced with poison.”
Idu assured gender advocacy groups and the Federation of Women Lawyers of due diligence in ensuring justice in the case.
