The Rivers State Police Command has confirmed the arrest of a suspected ritualist, identified as Iheanyi Asobirionwu, for the attempted murder of a woman in Etche Local Government Area of Rivers State.
The suspect, a native of Ndashi community in Etche, was apprehended by operatives of a local vigilante group known as the “Ulakwo Etche Special Squads.”
According to Kingsley Nwanyanwu, a community leader and Chairman of the Community Development Committee (CDC) in Amakumba, Asobirionwu allegedly attacked a woman named Vicky Nweke in Obite Etche, where he resides.
Nwanyanwu disclosed that the suspect, who is allegedly linked with some internet fraudsters, commonly referred to as Yahoo boys, attempted to strangle the woman to death.
He narrated that Asobirionwu choked the woman until she became unconscious, believing she had died. The suspect then left to retrieve a machete with the intention of slitting her throat to complete the gruesome act.
However, fortune favoured the victim, who regained consciousness and managed to escape before the suspect returned. She immediately raised an alarm, attracting the attention of nearby residents and the local vigilante squad.
The prompt response of the vigilante group led to Asobirionwu’s arrest, and he was subsequently handed over to the Okehi Police Division for further investigation.
Nwanyanwu, while commending the efforts of the vigilante operatives, called on the police and the Rivers State Commissioner of Police to conduct a thorough investigation.
He stressed the need for the suspect to disclose the identities of others allegedly involved in the criminal scheme.
According to Nwanyanwu, the suspect confessed to acting on the instructions of certain individuals, indicating that more people might be connected to the attempted murder and potential ritual activity.
“We appeal to the security agencies, especially the Commissioner of Police, to ensure proper interrogation and investigation so that those behind this heinous act can be exposed and brought to justice,” Nwanyanwu
The Rivers State Police Command, through its spokesperson SP Grace Iringe-Koko, confirmed the arrest and assured the public that investigations are ongoing to uncover the full details of the incident and any accomplices involved.