THE Rivers State Police command has re-arrested Ifeanyi Dike, who escaped from custody in Port Harcourt while being interrogated for alleged rape and murder of an eight-year-old girl.

Nnamdi Omoni, the Police Public Relations Officer in the state, confirmed the arrest of the suspected ritualist to NEXT EDITION.

Dike is said to have been arrested in Barkin Ladi in Plateau State, North-central Nigeria.

The suspected ritualist, who was paraded by the state police command for raping and killing an eight-year-old girl in Eliozu area of Port Harcourt, escaped from custody barely hours after he was shown to newsmen.

Addressing reporters before the escape of the suspect, Omoni had said Dike allegedly raped, killed and removed vital parts from the eight-year-old girl’s body.

He also confirmed that the suspect was arrested by local security in Obio-Akpor, adding that there was a plan by the suspect to use his victim for a ritual.

“Today 19/8/2017 at about 0130hrs Men of the Okporo Police Station arrested one Ifeanyi Chukwu Maxwell Dike, 23yrs of Messiah Street Eliozu Port Harcourt, who yesterday abducted one Chikamso Victory, eight yrs of the same address.

“The little girl was abducted, defiled and killed, while her vagina, eyes, tongue, and breast were removed and put in a polythene bag. The suspect was going to dispose of the body when he was arrested by the local Vigilante that suspected his movement.

“On being questioned the suspect dropped the bag and took to flight. Consequently, he was given a hot chase and arrested. On further interrogation by the Police, he confessed and took the Police to where the vital organs were concealed.

“The body and the organs have been recovered, paraded and deposited in the mortuary. While the suspect is helping us in Investigation.”

Shortly after he was paraded before reporters, Mr. Dike escaped from police custody even before he could give a statement.

Ernest Mezuwuba, the father of the girl, told journalists that suspect escaped while being asked to write a statement at the State Criminal Investigation Department, SCID.

“After I finished writing my statement and the suspect wrote his, he told the police that he wanted to drink water and the next thing I heard was help, catch him, he is running away and the officer just returned and said he has escaped.”

Sept. 8, 2017 @ 14:51 GMT |