The Delta State Police Command has arrested some suspects in connection with the murder of a kidnapped victim, Philomena Ogadi, whose body was buried in a shallow grave in the bush.
Mrs. Ogadi, 54, who hailed from Otolokpo in Ika North-East Local Government Area of the state, was abducted last week by a nine-man gang of kidnappers. Despite allegedly killing her, the hostage-takers collected a ransom of N650,000 from her distraught family members.
Addressing journalists after her body was exhumed and taken to the morgue, Commissioner of Police, Mohammed Ali, said the woman was declared missing by her son, which made operatives commence an investigation. He said her body was exhumed after four days of burial, with gunshot injuries on her head and blindfolded. He assured that his men would unravel the circumstances behind the murder of the victim and bring all the culprits to book.
“Having killed the woman and buried her in a shallow grave, they did not stop there, they went on calling the children and collecting ransom. So far, they have collected N650,000 from her children after killing the woman.
“They made the children believe that their mother was still alive. They did a video recording of their mother and played before the children, making them to believe that their mother was still alive,”
Ali said.
According to him, “the apprehended suspects confessed to the crime. One of the suspects said this was his first attempt at kidnapping and robbery.
“The eldest son of the victim said one of the suspects live in the same apartment with his mother before she was kidnapped and murdered.”
