Security agencies comprising Port Harcourt Security Watch, popularly known as PHALGA, Rivers State Neighbourhood Watch and Azikiwe Police Division, yesterday, arrested about 12 Internet fraudsters (Yahoo Boys) for allegedly burying a newborn baby alive at Andoni waterfront in Eagle Island, Port Harcourt.
Chairman of the council’s security outfit, who doubles as the Chief Security Officer of Eagle Island, Victor Ohaji, said he acted on intelligence report that some Yahoo boys were performing incantation at the waterfront.
After mobilising his men to the waterfront, Obaji said the Yahoo boys had already left the place when they got to the scene. He said: “On Wednesday morning, one of my brothers called that some Yahoo boys are doing some incantationsat Eagle Island waterfront in the Andoni area sand field. Immediately, I called my boys and we swung into action, but on getting there, the boys had already gone. On random inspection, we saw where they did the incantation and we discovered that the boys had dug the ground and buried something there.
“We had to dig the place to see what was buried and we saw a newborn baby boy buried.” Ohaji said he alerted the Rivers State Neighbourhood and Station Officer of the Police post at Eagle Island, who informed the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) of the Azikiwe Police Division. He stated that the PLGA Security Watch, Rivers State Neighbourhood, and the Police immediately mobilised and went in search of the suspects.
According to him, while they were combing Eagle Island, the suspects, who were coming out from one hotel saw them and ran in different directions, but the joint security force arrestedsome of the suspects and took them to Azikiwe Police Division, Illabiuchi, Mile 2 Diobu.
Meanwhile, Ohaji has called on Rivers State government to assist them with logistics like operational vehicles for efficiency. The Forward News gathered that the suspects have been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department in Port Harcourt.
When contacted, spokesperson for Rivers State Police Command, Grace Iringe-Koko, confirmed the incident. She promised to get back with more details but was yet to do so at press time.
But, a human rights advocate, Prince Wiro, has condemned the action of the suspects. Wiro, who is also the National Coordinator of the Centre for Basic Rights Protection and Accountability Campaign, described the incident as the height of wickedness and man’s inhumanity to man.
While commending the security operatives for the achievement, he called on the police to ensure that justice is done on the matter by arresting other fleeing members of the gang.
