From Paul Osuyi, Asaba
An 11-year-old, Joshua Sunday, was yesterday found dead inside a drum in Asaba, the Delta State capital.
His body was discovered three days after his mother raised the alarm over his whereabouts. His bereaved mother, Christy, while narrating what transpired, alleged that her son was murdered. She said she returned late from a journey to her home in Asaba and did not see her son.
“I traveled to the west, and on my way back I called my son, Joshua, to inform him that I was on my way. And because of fuel scarcity, we were unable to get petrol on time which delayed our movement. As I got to Asaba, around 7pm, immediately I entered the house I saw my son’s pair of slippers scattered on the ground, and I wondered why the pair of slippers was scattered.
“I asked my house to help the whereabouts of Joshua and she said she suspected he went to charge his phone. I went to the place where he usually goes to charge his phone, but he was not there. I started searching for my son everywhere, but I didn’t see him. It was in the evening that I went to report the case at the A’ Division Police Station.
“After three days, I was told to go and check somewhere for my son, and immediately I went there. And they later called me back and said they had seen my son.
(Continued on www.sunnewsonline.com) I went back to my compound and saw my son dead inside the drum. The drum I collected water from to wash my face in the morning was where they said they found my son,” she said as she fought back tears.
The Police Public Relations Officer of the state police command, DSP Bright Edafe, who confirmed the incident, said the investigators were waiting for the autopsy to ascertain the real cause of Joshua’s death.