Runaway
suspected ritual killer, Ifeanyichukwu Dike, who was re-arrested last
Thursday in Plateau State, has said the absence of electricity at the
State Criminal Investigation Department, Port Harcourt on the day he was
to be put in police custody aided his escape from the station.
He also said
it was not true that the Investigating Police Officer (IPO), Johnbosco
Okoroeze, who is now standing trial for aiding the escape of a murder
suspect, assisted him in his escape
Dike was
arrested by the police on August 19 for raping and killing his
eight-year-old niece, Chikamso Victory Mezuwuba, at Eliozu community in
Port Harcourt metropolis.
He however escaped from the custody of the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) while being led to the cell.
The suspect,
who was re-arrested in Barkin Ladi Local Govbernment Area of Plateau
State last Thursday, was yesterday paraded again by the Rivers State
Commissioner of Police, Ahmed Zaki, at the command’s headquarters in
Moscow Road, Port Harcourt, after he was brought back on Sunday.
Dike told
journalists that he took advantage of the darkness in the premises of
SCID when he was asked to go into the cell and escaped, adding that
nobody knew when he had sneaked out.
He said: “At
the SCID, after I entered my statement late in the evening of the day
of my first parade, my IPO asked me to go inside the cell, that was when
I had the opportunity to run away. My IPO did not help my escape. I
know what I did was wrong, please forgive me and have mercy.”
Dike disclosed that he was rearrested in Plateau State when he got involved in another crime.
His words:
“When I got to Jos, due to my injuries, I wasn’t able to get proper
place to go to and due to hunger where I went to search for food, I was
caught. So they were interrogating, I gave my auntie’s number so when
the policeman that was interrogating me called my auntie then she
quickly told him that they have declared me wanted.
“At first I
was hiding my identity, but as soon as they called my auntie, my auntie
told them that I was declared wanted and she handed over the IPO’s
number to the police and when she called the police she handed my IPO’s
number to the police here, the police then called my IPO and now
confirmed that I was the person. After I was confirmed, I was detained
and returned back to Rivers State on Sunday.”
Meanwhile,
Rivers State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Ahmed Zaki, has described the
re-arrest of Dike as an act of God, stating that providence has brought
the suspected back to face justice.
Briefing
journalists earlier, Zaki said: “Barely two weeks ago, after I spoke to
you concerning our determination and resolve in the re-arrest of Ifeanyi
Dike, a 200-level student of University of Port Harcourt, who
mindlessly and without the fear of God, raped and murdered
eight-years-old Chikamso whose only sin was her absolute trust on her
close relationship and uncle.
“Today with
profound humility, I present to you the most wanted ritual killer, Mr.
Ifeanyichukwu Maxwel Dike. His re-arrest was made possible by God
Almighty, through your numerous prayers and concerns, following his
escape three weeks ago.
“Your
positive actions in information dissemination, both in the print,
electronic and social media so much circulated, even in faraway places
of the world. The consciousness of every Nigerian was awake in the
search for this mindlessly killer.
“I wish to
assure you that justice will not only be done but seen to be done in the
circumstance to bring the full weight of the law to bear on him or any
other person implicated in the course of further Investigation.”
The
commissioner of police therefore called on Rivers people to help in
fighting, what he described as the horror of cultism, armed robbery,
kidnapping and other vices as they are impacting negatively on the
state.
Meanwhile
father of the victim, Ernest Mezuwuba, has called for justice, also
attributing the re-arrest of the suspect to the handiwork of God.
Mezuwuba,
who insisted that there are other persons behind the killing of his
daughter, called on the Police to ensure that all those involved in the
matter are brought to justice.”
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