Police operatives in Benin City, on Wednesday, recovered 20 corpses were recovered inside a building at Asoro Slope, off Ekenhua Road, Uzebu Quarters, in the Edo State capital.
The bodies comprising 15 male, three female and two children, were said to have been found in the building inside a compound in which there were five shrines.
Police operatives acting on intelligence received at about 4pm on Wednesday stormed the premises at about midnight where the shocking discovery was made.
Three suspects, including Chimaobi Okoewu, Oko Samuel and Gideon Sunday, have been arrested in connection with the incident.
Confirming the incident, the police said in a statement that while Okoewu and Samuel hails from Afikpo in Ebonyi State, Sunday is from Akwa Ibom State.
“In pursuance of its operational mandate of nipping crimes in the bud, Operatives of the Edo State Police Command on 17/08/2022 discovered a suspected ritual shrine.
“Following credible information that some corpses were discovered in a building along Asoro slope off Ekenhua Road, Uzebu quarters, Benin city, Operatives of the command immediately mobilised to the scene.
At the scene, three suspects, Chimaobi Okoewu ‘M’ and Oko Samuel ‘M’ both of Afikpo in Ebonyi and Gideon Sunday ‘M’ of Akwa-Ibom State were arrested while others fled. An intensive effort is ongoing to arrest the other fleeing suspects.
“15 mummified male corpses, 3 mummified female corpses and 2 mummified children corpses were discovered at the scene.
“To this end, the Edo State Commissioner of Police, CP Abutu Yaro, fdc, has directed the Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of state CID to carry out a discreet investigation to unravel the circumstances surrounding the discovered corpses and therefore enjoins the general public to be calm as the command will continue to ensure the safety of all law-abiding citizens and those residing in Edo state”, Jennifer Iwegbu, deputy spokesperson for the Edo State police command said in a statement on Thursday.
