Yenagoa—The Bayelsa State Vigilante Service (BYVC) has apprehended a suspected ritualist, Ebere Nwosu over an alleged attempt to abduct three minors along the popular Tombia-Etegwe roundabout in Yenagoa metropolis, Bayelsa state.
The 49-years-old suspect was apprehended after a close observation of his suspicious engagement with the minors who were hawking sachet water around the area.
It was gathered that operatives of the vigilante, stationed at Tombia roundabout observed that at about 5 pm on Monday, the suspect was engaging the minors in a conversation and simultaneously made calls to an unknown person.
It was reported that after observing the situation for minutes from a distance, personnel of the vigilante approached the suspect and upon sighting them he took to his heels.
The Chairman of Vigilante Service in the state, Hon. Doubiye Alagba who was present on the scene confirmed the development and said the suspect was monitored by the men of the vigilante group stationed at the Tombia-etegwe roundabout area.
According to Alagba, “Our men observed how the suspect had kept the three minors busy for several minutes and wondered what his intentions were.
“It was at the point of his several calls and serious discussion with the three minors that we quickly asked one of our men to approach him, When he was approached by our member he immediately took to heels and was caught after a hot chase.
“At first the suspect claimed to have been a native of Rivers State, but after series of investigations, he later confessed his real identity that he is from Imo State.”
When interviewed, one of the minors stated that, “we were hawking along the road only for this uncle to call us to buy water from us. We ran towards him and opened our bucket waiting for him to buy the pure water, he started making utterances first to my sister and asked me to wait.
“Before then, he started making several calls, we became scared and insisted that if he was not buying the water again, we should take our leave.”
“He kept telling us to wait and told my sisters that he like us and will take care of us and asked if he could see us later.
“We became scared and it was at that point that, one uncle came and asked him what he was telling us and he immediately started running and they caught him.”
Meanwhile, Nwosu has been handed to the Anti-kidnapping Unit of the Nigeria Police Force, Bayelsa Command for further investigation amid claims that he is innocent.
