Operatives of the Rivers State Police Command have arrested a native doctor, Kingsley Opurum and three other persons for allegedly killing a set of twins at Rukpokwu Community in Obio/Akpor local government area of the state.
The two children, 7-year-old Chizaram Onuche and Chidinma Onuche were said to be killed by the suspects for ritual purposes.
Opurum, a 43-year old man, was arrested alongside his girlfriend, 19-year-old Luis John Uwelemele; Kingsley Opurum, 43 and Friday Silas, 47 years old.
Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) in the state, Grace Iringe-Koko, in a statement issued in Port Harcourt, said the arrest followed a report transferred from the Special Area Division, Rumuodomaya, prompting operatives of the Anti-Kidnapping Unit of the command to take swift action.
Iringe-Koko narrated that the native doctor lured the two children to his location, drugged them using a drink known as Black Bullet as a sedative, and subsequently slaughtered them before collecting their blood in a bottle.
The PPRO stated that the corpses of the murdered two children have been deposited at the mortuary for preservation and autopsy.
Narrating the incident in the statement, the PPRO said, “On 23rd March 2025, at approximately 9 am, operatives arrested a native doctor and other individuals involved in the heinous crime.
“During the operation, law enforcement officers recovered key evidence, including a bottle containing the drained blood of the victims.”
He gave the names of the arrested suspects as Aniekan, 27 years, a native of Akwa Ibom who resides at 2nd Pipeline, Rukpokwu.
Aniekan was accused of luring the victims to his location where they were drugged withBlack Bullet drink used as sedative, and before they were subsequently slaughtered and their blood collected in a bottle.
Also arrested is Uwelemele, a native of Cross River State but residing at Omuike, Aluu. “She is the girlfriend of the first suspect, Aniekan and is linked to the crime.”
Police also said another suspect, Opurum is a native of Etche in Rivers State and residing at 3rd Pipeline, Eneka. “He has been implicated as the native doctor’s complicit in the murder of the deceased.”
For his part, Silas, a native of Plateau State who reside at 2nd Pipeline, Rukpokwu was accused by the first suspect as one that allowed him to stay at the uncompleted building where the killings took place.
Iringe-Koko added that, “Aniekan confessed that he became involved in the ritual killing after visiting the native doctor and witnessing him perform similar rituals for others in exchange for wealth. The native doctor instructed him to provide fresh human remains and blood for ritualistic purposes.”
The PPRO. further disclosed that law enforcement officials visited the scene of the crime, documented evidence with photographs, and recovered additional exhibits.
The items recovered include a kitchen knife identified as the murder weapon, a bottle filled with the victims’ blood, scooped by the suspect, an empty can of Black Bullet, used to drug the victims before the act and a spoon used to collect the victims’ blood.
Meanwhile, the Commissioner of Police in the state, CP Olugbenga Adepoju has assured that justice will be served on the incident, urging residents to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activities to the nearest police station.
