The Ebonyi State Police Command has reported the arrest of 177 suspects in October 2024, with four accused of involvement in human organ harvesting and ritual killings. According to Police Public Relations Officer DSP Joshua Ukandu, the suspects included 162 males and 15 females, with 92 of them already charged in court and the rest awaiting arraignment following further investigation.
In an update on behalf of the Commissioner of Police, CP Anthonia Uche-Anya, Ukandu highlighted the command’s proactive measures to combat violent crime through stakeholder engagement and strategic policing efforts, ensuring a safer environment for residents.
Among the cases, the command revealed disturbing details regarding organ harvesting and ritual killings. DSP Ukandu recounted that on October 11, Mrs. Blessing Chikezie reported her husband, Mr. Idenyi Chikezie, missing since September 9 after he left for a business trip to Lagos. Following investigations by the Anti-Kidnapping Unit, suspects Innocent Elebe and Eze Elechi were apprehended, leading to further arrests of Obinna Nwanguru and Oda Peter, who allegedly confessed to killing Chikezie and two other victims, Chibu Odii and Eze Fabian, to obtain organs for ritual purposes.
The command confirmed it had recovered the bodies of two victims, with ongoing efforts to locate the remains of the third.
Other arrests in October involved suspects connected to kidnapping, murder, robbery, and illegal firearm possession, as the command works to address crime comprehensively across the state.
