Men of the Nigeria Police, PHALGA Security and Rivers State Neighbourhood Watch have arrested 12 suspected internet fraudsters for allegedly burying a new born baby alive in Rivers State.
It was gathered that over 20 youths suspected to be internet fraudsters had gathered at Andoni Water from in Eagle Island in the early hours of yesterday and had made sacrifices by the river front.
It was learned that the occultic activity carried out by the suspects had attracted attention of some residents of the area who had reported their experience to 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 left the scene of 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 that 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 Water front, called Andoni sand field. Immediately I called by boys and we moved. When we got to the place the boys have left.
“I asked that my brother to show me the point where he saw the boys. He showed me. When I got there, I discovered that they dug ground and have 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 called 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 will 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, 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 Nigeria Army, and nothing will 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 vehicle so that they could perform efficiently in providing security in the area.
Meanwhile, a Human Rights Advocate, Prince Wiro, has condemned the burying of the newly born baby boy by the suspected fraudsters.
Wiro, the National Coordinator of Centre for Basic Rights Protection and Accountability Campaign, described the incident as 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 was done on the matter.
Meantime, the Rivers State Police Command has confirmed the arrest of some suspected fraudsters who allegedly buried a new born baby alive at Eagle Island.
The Command’s Public Relations Officer, Grace Iringe-Koko, who confirmed the arrest said the suspects had 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.
