A 34-year-old man, identified as Okpegboro Avwerosuo, from Ughelli North in Delta State has allegedly killed his unidentified friend and roommate in Sagbama area of Bayelsa State.
The suspect allegedly sold the vital organs of his deceased friend to a pastor who is said to be currently at large for ritual purposes.
A neighbour, who spoke in confidence, said Avwerosuo allegedly invited the deceased to his home in Sagbama in order to start off motorcycle riding business, assuring him that the business was flourishing in the town because of the presence of Isaac Jasper Adaka Boro College of Education in the area.
The source said that barely two weeks after the deceased arrived Sagbama, Avwerosuo allegedly smashed him with a pestle on the head in the middle of the night and the friend died in the process.
The neighbour also explained that after allegedly killing his friend, Avwerosuo dismembered his body, preserved the vital organs and put the other parts in separate sacks which he disposed in the early hours of the next day.
The source said while the suspect was disposing the sacks, another neighbour who saw him and suspected his movements confronted him later in the afternoon about the whereabouts of his roommate.
The source said: “The suspect claimed that the deceased had travelled back to Delta State for an urgent business transaction.
“Not satisfied with his response, the neighbour forced his way into the suspect’s room and saw blood stains all over. The neighbour held him down and alerted the local vigilantes who eventually called in the police to arrest the suspect.
“Upon interrogation prior to his being handed over to the police, the suspect confessed that he had sold the vital organs of the deceased to a pastor in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, for ritual purposes.”
Also speaking on the incident, President of SALGA Federated Youth Council (Worldwide), Preye Keku Casey, condemned the gruesome killing of the young man.
Casey urged youths of Sagbama to be on the alert to check the activities of non-indigenes in the town as security tension continued to rise across the country.
He stated: “Just yesterday, the decomposing body of young man was discovered in the bush by well-meaning indigenes with several parts of the body already cut into pieces and placed on sack bags.
“The Nigerian Police, Sagbama Division, was alerted and it led to the arrest of a young man resident in Sagbama community, suspected to have been the perpetrator of the ungodly act.
“I want to call on Sagbama youths to be very careful and vigilant as they go about their normal business, especially in the wake of the rising insecurity in the country. Youths should also be careful of the places they visit, those they associate with and keep as friends, and as well limit the time at which they keep late nights.
“We want to urge the security agencies to ensure that proper investigations be done in order to unmask those behind the murder of the young man and ensure the arrest and prosecution of everyone involved in the act.
“The security agencies are also enjoined to ensure that the people of Sagbama are protected from heartless blood suckers, so as to avert such ugly incident anywhere around Sagbama Local Government Area.”
The Police Public Relations Officer, Bayelsa State Command, SP Asinim Butswat, confirmed the incident.
He said: “The suspect, one Okpegboro Avwerosuo, male, 34, from Ughelli North, Delta State has been arrested and detained at State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), Yenagoa, for further investigation. The name of the victim is yet unknown.”
