Men of the Nigeria Police, PHALGA security and Rivers State Neighbourhood Watch have arrested 12 suspected internet fraudsters for allegedly burying a newborn baby alive in Rivers State.
It was gathered that over 20 youths suspected to be internet fraudsters had gathered at Andoni Water from Eagle Island in the early hours of yesterday and had made sacrifices by the riverfront.
It was learned that the occultic activity carried out by the suspects had attracted the attention of some residents of the area who had reported their experience to the leader of a local vigilante group providing security in the area, PHALGA security.
It was further gathered that PHALGA Security Watch, the State’s Neighbourhood Watch and men from Azikiwe Police Division had trailed and arrested about 12 of the suspects from a hotel in the area moments after they had left the scene of the crime.
The Chairman of PHALGA Security, Victor Ohaji, popularly called Man of God, said the vigilante got intelligent information that some ‘yahoo yahoo’ boys were doing incantation at the waterfront and that his team had immediately mobilised to the scene.
He noted that on arrival, he ordered that an area dug and already covered should be opened and that on opening the ground they saw a dead baby.
Ohaji said: “This morning, one of my brothers called me that some yahoo boys are doing some incantation at Eagle Island Waterfront, called Andoni sand field. Immediately I called by boys and we moved. When we got to the place the boys had left.
“I asked my brother to show me the point where he saw the boys. He showed me. When I got there, I discovered that they dug the ground and covered it. I have to dig that spot to know what they buried there. When we dug the place, we a dead baby.
“It was a baby boy. A very handsome boy. I have to call the Station Officer of Eagle Island immediately, to inform him. He in turn called the DPO in charge of the area. We all went in search of the boys behind the act. We moved from hotel to hotel to check if we would see them.
“While we were moving, we saw them coming out from one hotel. Immediately they saw us coming down from our car they started running. We, the police and Neighbourhood watch, we chased them and arrested some of them. We took them to the station with the dead baby.
“When we got to the station, one of the suspects started shouting that his father is a Major General in the Nigerian Army, and nothing would happen even if they buried an adult. He said this is just a baby and we are disturbing.”
He, however, called on the Rivers State Government to assist the vigilante group with logistics like operational vehicles so that they can perform efficiently in providing security in the area.
Meanwhile, a Human Rights Advocate, Prince Wiro, has condemned the burying of the newborn baby boy by the suspected fraudsters.
Wiro, the National Coordinator of the Centre for Basic Rights Protection and Accountability Campaign, described the incident as the height of wickedness and man’s inhumanity to man.
He, who commended the security operatives on the achievement called on the Police to spread their investigation to arrest fleeing suspects and ensure justice is done on the matter.
Meantime, the Rivers State Police Command has confirmed the arrest of some suspected fraudsters who allegedly buried a newborn baby alive at Eagle Island.
The Command’s Public Relations Officer, Grace Iringe-Koko, who confirmed the arrest said the suspects have been transferred to State Criminal Investigation Department for proper investigation.
Iringe-Koko said at the end of the investigation the suspects if found guilty would be charged to court, adding that justice would prevail in the matter.
Vanguard
