The Police in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital, on
Tuesday said it has begun a manhunt for a student of University of Port
Harcourt Ifeanyi Dike, who allegedly raped, killed and removed vital organs of
an eight-year-old girl, Victory Chikamso, and escaped from police custody.
The father of the victim, Dr. Ernest Nmezuwuba, who was
at the State Criminal Investigation Department when the suspected murderer and
ritual killer escaped from police custody, said Dike took advantage of the
darkness within the SCID’s premises to escape.
Nmezuwuba, who spoke during a Port Harcourt-based radio’s
programme, added that the suspect was able to escape because one of the
policemen on duty on Saturday night identified as Johnbosco had unlocked the
handcuffs for Dike to write his statement.
The father of the deceased explained that Johnbosco did
not handcuff the suspect after he (Dike) finished writing his statement, adding
that the suspect fled while he was about to be taken into the cell.
Nmezuwuba said, “We were there with the suspect in
handcuffs. When we got to the state CID, there was no light in the entire State
CID. I wrote my statement with candle; imagine a whole state CID (without
light). Then Johnbosco removed the handcuffs from the suspect’s hands for him
(suspect) to write his statement.
“At a point, the boy (Dike) said he was thirsty and
Johnbosco said I should buy pure water for him and I asked him (‘John; are you crazy?
Is something wrong with you? Why would you ask me to buy water for a person
that killed my daughter? Why would I buy water for a ritualist?’ And I told
Johnbosco that it was none of my business.
“Some policemen were at the gate with guns while we were
at the charge room writing statement. After we finished writing our statements,
Johnbosco called the IPO to go and put the suspect in the cell. The suspect was
not handcuffed at that time.
“They did not walk up to a pole when I heard hold am,
hold am; he has escaped. Whether he jumped the fence or not, I cannot say
because the entire place was dark; it was between 7.30 and 8pm (Saturday
night). I now told Johnbosco that you know what you are doing.
“They (policemen) came out with torchlight and checked
under the cars parked there. Then I saw the DCP, I mean the Deputy Commissioner
of Police and he said; what nonsense is this? He then asked after Johnbosco and
he was told he (Johnbosco) was inside. The DCP then said that they should
handcuff both his hands and legs.”
Nmezuwuba expressed disappointment in the police,
accusing them of playing game with a heinous crime against humanity, even as he
vowed that he would never allowed it to be swept under the carpet.
He said, “My brother, I cannot understand this country;
this must be a planned game and I must fight it to the end. They have to
provide that suspect. The Rivers State Police must provide him while Johnbosco
should remain in detention.
“This incident has proven the kind of country we are
living. What is going to happen in this particular matter; honestly speaking,
heaven will hear it. The whole world will hear it.”
On his relationship with Dike, he said, “The boy
(suspect) is related to me; we are from the same village. He killed my daughter
inside his room. Ifeanyi Dike’s landlord is my in-law and also his own in-law.
The landlord was arrested and the same day, they released him (landlord). The name of the landlord is Pius Nwoko.”
Dike, who had allegedly defiled, killed and removed the
vital organs of eight-year-old Chikamso, was caught by a local vigilante, who
immediately handed him over to the police on Saturday.
However, the state Commissioner of Police, Mr. Zaki
Ahmed, who was visibly sad and angry over the development, explained that the
suspect escaped under the cover of the night and promised that the police would
soon arrest him.
Describing the incident as an individual negligence,
Ahmed stressed that the police had deployed human and material resources
towards ensuring that the suspect was apprehended.
The CP said, “What I am saying is that it was an
individual negligence that caused it. The escape happened in the presence of
the complainant; that is the parent of the girl. The boy (suspect) escaped
under the cover of the night.
“But we are making every effort, every move and by the
grace of the Almighty God, within a short time, he will be arrested. We are not
relenting. We know that this is a serious problem; it can happen to anybody.
“We are not relenting and by the grace of God, we will
get him arrested. It is too bad it happened, but it is one of those things.
Sometimes, things can happen this way.
“We have moved a lot of resources; both human and
material resources, to ensure that the culprit is arrested. We call on the
people to confide in us if they have any useful information. I will act on it.”
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