From Femi Folaranmi, Yenagoa
The Bayelsa State Vigilante Service stationed at Tombia- Etegwe roundabout in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State capital has apprehended a suspected ritualist, Ebere Nwosu.
Nwosu aged 49 was apprehended when he was about to lure three minors aged 11, 12, 13 respectively.
The children selling sachets of water at the busy roundabout were about to be hypnotised by the suspected ritualist before members of the vigilante service came to their rescue.
According to investigations some members of the Vigilante service suspected Nwosu’s movement and decided to pay close attention to his actions.
The suspect was first seen engaging his victims in discussion before the discussion dragged on stretching close to an hour.
Members of the vigilante force uncomfortable with the situation decided to approach Nwosu and asked him what he was discussing with the children and stop them from selling their water.
Rather than answer the question, the suspect took to his heels but he was apprehended by the Vigilante Force and handed over to the Police.
The Chairman of the State Vigilante Service, Hon. Doubiye Alagba,who confirmed the development, said the suspect was being observed by the men of the vigilante group stationed at the Tombia-etegwe roundabout area.
According to Hon. Doubiye, “Our men observed how the suspect had kept the three minors busy for several minutes and wondered what he was up to, 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”
One of the minors,(name withheld) told newsmen 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 was telling me and my sisters that he likes us and will take care of us and how he will 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”.
The suspect who has been handed to the Anti-kidnapping Unit of the Nigeria Police Force, Bayelsa Command for further investigation, denied the allegations of being a suspected ritualist or meant any harm to the kids.
He claimed to have been drunk and does not know what he was doing at the time of interacting with the minors.
Contacted on the development, the spokesman of the Bayelsa Police Command, Asinim Butswat confirmed the development and said the police have commenced investigation.