Port Harcourt, Rivers State – In a shocking turn of events, the Rivers State Police Command apprehended a 400-level Petrochemical Engineering student at the University of Port Harcourt, Demain Okoligwe, on suspicion of killing his girlfriend and reportedly harvesting her organs at his residence along NTA Road, Ozuoba, near Port Harcourt. The victim, identified as Justina Otuene, a 300-level undergraduate studying Biochemistry at the same university, met a tragic end at the hands of her alleged boyfriend.

Rivers State Commissioner of Police, Emeka Nwonyi, revealed this disturbing incident during a press conference held in Port Harcourt on Thursday. According to Nwonyi, the suspect, after gruesomely killing his girlfriend, purportedly harvested certain body parts for alleged ritualistic purposes. He then concealed the decomposing corpse in his apartment for an unspecified duration, until a vigilant neighbor, alarmed by a foul odor emanating from the suspect’s residence, reported the matter to the police.

“On Wednesday, October 25, 2023, at approximately 3:30 PM,” Nwonyi stated, “operatives of Ozuoba Division received a complaint from a concerned neighbor on Road 20, behind NTA Ozuoba, who detected a putrid smell in Demain Okoligwe’s residence and promptly reported the matter to the police station. The Divisional Police Officer (DPO) led detectives to the scene, where they forcefully opened the door and discovered a lifeless body concealed in a ‘Ghana must-go’ bag.”

Nwonyi continued, “Upon returning to the station and initiating a search for the fleeing suspect and boyfriend of the deceased, Demain Okoligwe, a 24-year-old student in his 400 level of petrochemical engineering at UNIPORT, the prime suspect, who was last seen with the deceased, was apprehended for questioning. The lifeless body of Justina Otuene, a 20-year-old 300-level Biochemistry student at UNIPORT, was recovered and subsequently transported to the mortuary.”

The Commissioner of Police emphasized that preliminary investigations were underway, and the case had been transferred to the State Criminal Intelligence and Investigation Department for a more in-depth probe. Expressing condolences to the family of the deceased, Nwonyi urged young women to exercise caution and discernment in their relationships.

Furthermore, the CP implored parents to engage in conversations with their children about the importance of selecting their friends carefully to avoid falling into the clutches of individuals with malicious intentions.

In a separate development, the police also presented Enyinnaya Iheukwumere, who claimed to be a doctor, and two of his associates for their alleged involvement in child trafficking, including a child as young as one year and seven months. According to CP Nwonyi, the suspects were detained after a woman reported that a man had abducted her son from their residence in Rumuokoro, a suburb of Port Harcourt. This complaint triggered an extensive investigation, leading to the rescue of the children.

CP Nwonyi elaborated, “Following an abduction case reported on September 9, 2023, by Ijeoma James, a 35-year-old mother, in Awalama Rumuokoro, Port Harcourt, it was discovered that on August 16, 2023, an individual named Promise entered her compound and abducted her four-year-old son, Prosper James. Police detectives from Special Area Division, aided by intelligence-led policing, apprehended Ifesinachi Opara, which subsequently led to the arrest of Happiness and Enyinnaya Iheukwumere, also known as Dr. Hagi, to whom the child had been sold.”

Nwonyi further disclosed that the investigation led to the rescue of three additional children allegedly trafficked by Dr. Hagi from various parts of the country, all originating from Benue State. The rescued children were identified as Benedict Kpaaka, a one-year and seven-month-old, Godgift Julius, four years old, and Philomina, a six-year-old girl.

“They were all rescued from different locations in Port Harcourt where they had been sold,” Nwonyi stated. “Further investigation revealed that one Angel Shimeson, a 25-year-old female from Makurdi, who is still at large, is the supplier of the children to Dr. Hagi. Efforts are underway to apprehend this culprit.”

The arrest of these individuals sends shockwaves throughout the community, raising concerns about the safety of young women and children. Law enforcement agencies are actively pursuing the matter, underscoring the importance of vigilance and responsible relationships.