Man Arrested for Killing Son for Money Ritual in Delta

Omon-Julius Onabu in Asaba

A 33-year old man, identified as Volt Blessing Gabriel, has been arrested by the Police in Warri, Delta State, for killing his little son for the purpose of ritual.  The ritual  was said to  have been carried out in Benin-City, Edo State, where the suspected ritualist lived with his 24-year old wife.

Although, the incident occurred in Benin-City on Thursday, the Edo State capital, the mother of the little boy, and wife of the suspect, Mrs. Success Oduwa, reported the matter to the Police in Warri, leading to the husband’s arrest.

According to the Delta State Police Command spokesman, Mr. Bright Edafe (a DSP), the woman had raised the alarm on Saturday when her infant boy suddenly went missing since the previous day, Friday June 24, 2022.

The husband was said to have feigned ignorance of the tragedy his over-ambition has foisted on the family by claiming one of his sisters who resides in Warri had taken Godspower, who was just one year and eight months old, to her place in Warri.

The suspected ritual murderer was said to have later opened up to the police, confessing how he had killed the little son in a bush off Sapele Road, Benin-City and bathed his head with the blood of the innocent child with the hope of getting rich quickly.

Mrs. Oduwa decided to go to Warri following her husband’s cock-and-bull story after the sudden disappearance of her son, Godspower, from their residence at Peanuts Junction, Obeh in Benin-City, Edo State, as she became suspicious of her husband.

“She discovered that she had not seen their child since the morning of 24/6/2022 and started troubling the husband as to the whereabouts of the child.”

The husband told her that the child is with his sister in Warri. On getting to Warri, she stated that she discovered the husband was lying to her, hence her suspicion.

“She reported to the Commander, Quick Response Squad, that she was suspecting her husband named Volt Blessing Gabriel, aged 33 years of same address, to have killed their male child named Godspower Gabriel, aged one year and eight months, for ritual purposes. The Commander RRS detailed operatives who swung into action, arrested the husband and handed him over to the DPO ‘A’ Division Warri for further investigation.

“Upon interrogation, suspect confessed to have murdered the said child at Ewabogun bush by catholic road, Benin city using hand saw to cut off the head and buried it by a palm tree in the bush and threw away the headless body of the child.

“The suspect also stated that he actually killed the child because of a dream he had, where he saw a man who told him that if he kills the child, and use the child’s blood to rub his head, he will become rich,” the police said.

Meanwhile, three robbery suspects were killed in arms confrontation with the police in two separate incidents in Ozoro and Orogun in Isoko/Ughelli axis of Delta State while seven others were arrested.

Two of the dead were fatally wounded by the police who swooped on them while reportedly carrying out robbery operation at about 4a.m. along Igbuku Road in Orogun Community in Ughelli North Local Government Area, the police spokesman said. One Benedict Agbawara, aged 22 years of Abbi town was also arrested alive.

The third fatality occurred when police tackled an armed robbery gang said to operating at about 5a.m. at Etereva Street, Ozoro in Isoko North Local Government Area.

Six arrests were also made in Warri and Effurun area, including three suspected raiders of POS operators in Eku-Abraka area of Ethiope East, and three others during a stop-and-search operation at Oleh Roundabout in Isoko South when the police team intercepted a tricycle with Reg Number Ekp 290 QL.

A walkie-talkie, several guns and live cartridges were also recovered from the different hangs.