Police detectives in Asaba, the Delta State capital have uncovered a hideout/operational base of suspected ritualists with scores of unidentified corpses of women.
The police command spokesman, Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Famous Ajieh, said the detectives acted on a tip-off to swoop on the suspects in their operational base in Okpanam village where four of them were arrested. The police, he said, found scores of mutilated and decomposed bodies of women.
It was learnt that the replacement of commercial motor cycles with tricycles popularly known as “Keke” had led to the influx of suspected ritualists who use the new means of transportation to charm unsuspecting passengers and take them to the hideouts where they are allegedly killed with vital parts of their bodies removed.
It was gathered that activities of the ritualists increased during the Yuletide in Asaba and its environs when they caught a pregnant woman on her way to church service along Nnebisi Road and allegedly hypnotised her. They allegedly took her to their hideout where she met other persons being held by the suspects.
But through divine intervention, she was said to have been pushed away when it was her turn to face the ritual exercise.
Police sources however, confirmed that four persons were arrested including their kingpin identified as Simeon (surname withheld), who upon interrogation confessed to the gang’s atrocities while three others are on the run.
Ritual activities allegedly thrive in Ibusa, Ogwashi-Uku, Ubulu-Uku and Okpanam.
While warning passengers to be wary of the operators of the “Keke,” Ajieh said their activities had been placed under serious surveillance.