Man, 33, kills child, 20 months, for rituals

* Arrested

By Jon Egie

Operatives of Delta State Police Command have arrested a man identified as Volt Blessing Gabriel, 33, who killed his 20 months old child named Godspower Gabriel for ritual purpose.

The mother of the deceased child, Mrs Success Oduwa, 24, of Peanuts Junction, Obeh in Edo State had noticed the sudden disappearance of the child on Sunday, June 24 and troubled her husband about the whereabouts of the child.

“The husband told her that the child is with his sister in Warri. On getting to Warri, she discovered the husband was lying to her, hence her suspicion. She reported to the Commander, Quick Response Squad, that she is suspecting her husband named, Volt Blessing Gabriel (m) age 33yrs of same address, to have killed their child named Godspower Gabriel (m) aged one year and eight months for ritual purposes.

“The Commander RRS detailed operatives who swung into action, arrested the husband and handed him over to the DPO ‘A’ Division Warri for further investigation.

“Upon interrogation, suspect confessed to have murdered the said child at Ewabogun bush by Catholic Road, Benin city using hand saw to cut off the head and buried it by a palm tree in the bush and threw away the headless body of the child.

“The suspect also stated that he actually killed the child, because of a dream he had, where he saw a man who told him that, if he kills the child, and use the child’s blood to rub his head, he will become rich.” A release issued by the Command’s PPRO, DSP Bright Edafe on the matter said .

The release added that the suspect is currently in custody while a harvest of other suspects who engaged in various crimes across the State and beyond has been made.