Pascal Arogorn Ibe
Three children battered beyond recognition were rescued from suspected ritualists at Nkwelle, in Oyi Local Government Area of Anambra State by the State’s Police Command.
According to the police spokesperson in the state, Haruna Mohammed, the suspects identified as Rejoice Raymond, 39, and Chidi Felicia Nwafor, 80, were arrested by police operatives attached to 3-3 Police Station, Nkwelle.
Following intelligence report, on Friday, Feb 19, police stormed their address at NO.13 Akunwanta Mbamalu Street, Federal Housing Estate, 3-3 Nkwelle Ezunaka, Anambra state, where they found three children locked up in a room filled with fetish items.
The children, two boys and a girl, were badly bruised and were looking malnourished. They had broken bones and were left lying in the pool of their blood.
It was observed that the entire room had blood stains alongside fetish items, including a mortar and multiples pestles, blood-stained canes, concoction and more.
In the room, was also found a bucket where the children were made to excrete as they were not allowed out of the room.
The children, whose parents were not yet known at press time, were too battered to speak. They were barely conscious and appeared to be in shock.
According to the Anambra state police, the women had “subjected them into physical and emotional torture without feeding and inflicted several wounds on their body, leaving them unconscious.”
The police add in a statement: “Scene was visited by the DPO 3-3, CSP Abdul Bawa, where gory sights of badly battered victims, one with a broken arm were found in the pool of their blood and whose parents were neither seen nor known.
“Meanwhile, the children were rescued and rushed to the hospital for medical attention.
“Preliminary Investigation further revealed some fetish substances, blood-stained canes, concoctions and other incriminating items were all recovered inside the rooms and registered as exhibits.”
Some sources allege the women own a ministry but also engage in fetishism, including pounding children in mortar.
Consequently, the police have ordered a full-scale investigation to unravel the circumstances surrounding the incident.
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