Cross River State Commissioner of Police
OVER 15 Hilux vans filled with policemen on Wednesday dispersed hundreds of sympathisers, who took to the streets to demand justice over the killing of an eight-year-old Victory Chikamso Nmezuwuba and the escaped of her suspected killer from police custody.
Security agents had stormed the Eliozu Bridge in Port Harcourt and forced the protesters to go their different ways when they shot into the air and threw teargas canisters at them.
Little Nmezuwuba was killed on Friday for ritual purpose by one Ifeanyi Dike, a primary schoolteacher and 200 Level student of the University of Port Harcourt, who defiled her before removing his victim’s vital organs, including her eyes and tongue.
However, Ifeanyi Dike, who was apprehended by a local vigilante and handed over to security agents, eventually escaped from the State Criminal Investigation Department of the Rivers State Police Command.
Not satisfied with the development, a group of protesters, who were mostly women, demanded that the police should fish out the suspect (Dike) and bring him to justice.
Clad in black attire, the protesters displayed placards with inscriptions like ‘Police must fish out Ifeanyi Dike dead or alive,’ ‘We want justice to be done,’ ‘We will not rest until justice is done’ and ‘Police, our daughter will not rest until you fish out her killer.’
The police fired tear gas canisters and guns into the air, an action that forced the protesters to scamper into safety.
The protesters, who gathered under the Eliozu Bridge at about 11am, were there until the Hilux vans filled with policemen drove to the place with the mission to disperse them.
One of the angry women, who simply gave her name as Lucy, said, “We are not happy over the gruesome murder of our daughter. We are very angry that the suspect, who was caught by vigilante and taken to the police, suddenly escaped from the State CID.
“Our demand is simple, they should fish out Ifeanyi Dike and let him face justice. Again, those policemen that allowed Ifeanyi to escape should be dismissed and tried,” Lucy added.
Our correspondent observed that the protest had caused a traffic snarl on the ever-busy Eliozu Road as motorists experienced tough time passing through the road, even after the protesters had been dispersed.
Another protester, Mr. Mike Elendu, described the handling of the matter by the police as poor and shocking, adding that a case of such magnitude should be handled with care.
Reacting, the State Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. Nnamdi Omoni, said the protesters were dispersed because some hoodlums took advantage of the protest to cause a breakdown of law and order.
The state police spokesman said, “We are aware of that incident. But we have to come in when hoodlums cashed in on the protest to start making bonfire on the road.
“Some of those protesting are not doing that in sympathy to the family (Chikanso’s family). So, we had to come in to ensure that there was no breakdown of law and order
Meanwhile, the Rivers State Deputy Governor, Dr. Ipalibo Banigo, has described as embarrassing the escape of the ritual murder from police custody.
Banigo called on the police and other law enforcement agencies to ensure that the suspect, Ifeanyi Dike, was rearrested and brought to justice without delay.
She said in a statement signed by Mr. Owupele Benebo, the Head of Press Unit, Deputy Governor’s Office, that the report that the suspect escaped from the hands of an Investigating Police Officer was “totally” unacceptable.
“The police and other law enforcement agencies should step up their game and ensure that the felon is rearrested and brought to justice without delay.
“As a mother, I am still numb with shock to hear that a full-grown man could defile an eight-year-old girl and also go ahead to mutilate her body for purported money ritual,” the deputy governor said.
Banigo, who condoled with the bereaved family on the gruesome murder of little Miss Victory Chikamso, advised parents and guardians to take extra precaution to ensure that their children, especially girls were protected from predators like Ifeanyi Dike.
The deputy governor described Ifeanyi Dike, who removed the tongue, eyes, vagina and one of the fingers of his victim, as a devil incarnate.
