Crime & Court
Ritual killer of 8-yr-old niece confesses: Power outage helped me escape, hunger led to my re-arrest
Ifeanyi Dike, the suspected ritualist that escaped from Police custody and was re-arrested in Plateau State, yesterday, narrated how power outage aided his escape. ADVERTISING inRead invented by Teads He, however, pleaded for mercy on the murder of the eight-year-old girl, Chikamso Mezuwuba.
Dike, who spoke in Port Harcourt while he was re-paraded by the Rivers State Police Command, insisted that the Investigative Police Officer, IPO, Johnbosco Okoroeze, nabbed over his (Dike’s) escape was innocent. Ifeanyi Dike killed the eight-year-old Chikamso, removed her vital organs and was on his way to dispose of her remains when he was arrested by a local vigilante group in Okporo community, Obio/Akpor Local Government Area of the state.
The suspected ritualist had escaped from the custody of State Criminal Investigation Department, SCID, but was re-arrested in Barkin Ladi Local Government Area of Plateau State, last week, Thursday.
Dike told newsmen that he took advantage of the darkness in the premises of SCID, when he was asked to go into the cell and escaped, noting that nobody knew when he sneaked out. Re-arrest Dike said: “At the State Criminal Investigation Department, SCID, after I entered my statement late in the evening of the day of my first parade, my IPO asked me to go inside the cell. “That was when I had the opportunity to run away.
My IPO did not help me escape. I know what I did was wrong, please forgive me and have mercy.” Dike disclosed that he was re-arrested after his successful disappearance from Port Harcourt, when he got involved in another crime in the place he had escaped to in Plateau State.
He explained that he was faced with starvation after he arrived Plateau State and in an attempt to steal food he was apprehended by residents of the area, who later handed him over to the Police. According to him, “I escaped to Jos. Having stayed for several days without food and due to the injuries I sustained, I was unable to get food to eat. So due to the hunger, I decided to source for food and that was where I was caught and handed over to the Police.
“When I got to the Police station, at first I was hiding my identity, but on interrogation I got fed up and gave them (Police) my aunty’s phone number. “As soon as the Police called my aunty, she told them that I was declared wanted by the Rivers State Police command.
She also handed my IPO’s phone number to the Police officers and they later confirmed that I am on the wanted list. After I was confirmed, I was detained and returned back to Rivers State on Sunday.” Police laud journalists Meanwhile, the Commissioner of Police in Rivers State, Mr. Ahmed Zaki, has described the re-arrest of Dike as an act of God, noting that providence has brought the suspect back to face justice. He said: “Today (yesterday), with profound humility, I present to you the most wanted ritual killer, Mr. Ifeanyi Maxwell Dike. His re-arrest was made possible by God Almighty, through your numerous prayers and concerns, following his escape three weeks ago.
“I wish to assure you that justice will not only be done, but be seen to be done in the circumstance to bring the full weight of the law to bear on him and any other person implicated in the cause of further investigations.” … and IG Zaki, however, commended the public for the confidence reposed on the Police force, and lauded the Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, for his support in ensuring the re-arrest of Dike.
According to him: “Barely two weeks, I spoke to you concerning our determination and resolve to re-arrest Ifeanyi Dike, a 200 level student of University of Port Harcourt, who mindlessly and without the fear of God raped and murdered eight years old Chikamso, whose only sin was her absolute trust on her close relation and uncle.
“Your (media) positive actions in information dissemination, both in the print, electronic and social media, even in faraway places of the world, helped. The consciousness of every Nigerian was awaken in the search for this killer.”
The Ogun State Magistrate’s Court sitting in Sagamu has adjourned the trial of the driver involved in the road crash that affected former heavyweight boxing champion, Anthony Joshua, to June 2, 2026.
The court, presided over by Magistrate Olufunilayo Somefun, fixed the new date to allow the prosecution to file fresh charges in the case.
The defendant, Adeniyi Mobolaji, is facing a four-count charge bordering on dangerous and negligent driving resulting in death.
It was gathered that the matter had been adjourned about four times to enable the prosecuting counsel, G. O. Ogunyomi, amend the charges before the court.
Mobolaji was accused of reckless and negligent driving, contrary to Section 6(1) of the relevant law, as well as driving without due care and attention, causing bodily harm, and damage to property under Section 7(1).
He was also alleged to have driven without a valid national driver’s licence, contrary to Section 10(1) of the Federal Highway Act.
Ruling on the prosecution’s application for adjournment, the magistrate granted the request and fixed June 2 for proper hearing. The defence counsel did not oppose the application.
Speaking after the proceedings, counsel to the defendant, Abiodun Olalekan, said the adjournment was necessary to ensure justice for all parties involved.
The 46-year-old defendant was involved in the fatal crash that claimed the lives of Joshua’s personal trainer, Latif Ayodele, and strength and conditioning coach, Sina Ghami, along the Lagos-Ibadan
Expressway on December 29, 2025.
The Lexus SUV conveying the boxer collided with a stationary truck, leaving Joshua and the driver with minor injuries.
Joshua was later discharged from the hospital after being certified clinically stable.
The deaths of Ayodele and Ghami drew widespread reactions within the international boxing community, where both men were regarded as key figures in Joshua’s camp.
Their remains were subsequently repatriated to the United Kingdom, where a funeral prayer was held on January 4, 2026, at the London Central Mosque.
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested a 58-year-old alleged drug lord, Uzoma Valentine Ilomuanya, who had reportedly been on the agency’s wanted list and that of British authorities for over 15 years.
Ilomuanya was apprehended in Lagos on Monday, February 23, 2026, following what the agency described as a high-level, coordinated operation by officers of its Special Operations Unit.
The development was disclosed in a statement issued on Wednesday by the Director of Media and Advocacy of the agency, Femi Babafemi.
Babafemi said the suspect’s arrest ended a prolonged manhunt linked to his alleged involvement in drug trafficking activities across Nigeria and the United Kingdom.
According to the statement, Ilomuanya was first arrested in February 2003 in the United Kingdom and convicted for drug trafficking.
He was sentenced to nine years imprisonment but was released after serving two years following a successful appeal.
Babafemi added that the suspect was again arrested in the UK in July 2011 over drug-related offences.
He said, “He was granted administrative bail but jumped jurisdiction and fled to Nigeria.
“Typical of a recidivist, Ilomuanya was in November 2018 arrested in Nigeria by NDLEA operatives following the discovery of two clandestine methamphetamine laboratories in his Obinugwu, Orlu Local Government Area country home in Imo State and at his No. 3 Barrister Declan Uzoma Close, Lagos residence where officers recovered 77.960 kilograms of methamphetamine and extensive production equipment.
“He was subsequently charged before a Federal High Court in Lagos, after which he jumped court bail and has been on the run since then.”
Reacting to the development, the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (retd.), described the arrest as a major breakthrough in the agency’s ongoing war against drug trafficking networks.
Marwa said the operation demonstrated the agency’s resolve to track down criminal elements regardless of how long they evade the law.
He said, “This arrest serves as a stern warning to those who think they can hide behind borders to escape justice.
“Whether you jump bail in London or set up clandestine labs in your village, the long arm of the NDLEA will eventually catch up with those who choose to undermine the health, security, and future of our nation.
“We remain committed to our international collaborations to ensure that Nigeria is not used as a sanctuary for global drug lords.”
Marwa also commended officers of the Special Operations Unit for their professionalism and persistence in tracking down the suspect.
He added that the agency would continue to strengthen intelligence-driven operations and international cooperation to dismantle drug trafficking networks operating within and beyond Nigeria.
The Federal High Court in Abuja on Thursday discharged and acquitted a suspended Deputy Commissioner of Police, Abba Kyari, of a 23-count charge bordering on alleged non-declaration of assets filed by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency.
Delivering judgment, Justice James Omotosho held that the prosecution failed to present sufficient evidence to substantiate the allegations against the defendants.
Kyari was arraigned alongside his two brothers, who were accused of swearing to false affidavits in an alleged attempt to conceal the origin of certain properties.
However, the court ruled that the anti-drug agency failed to establish that the properties allegedly not declared by Kyari were actually owned by him.
Justice Omotosho explained that ownership of landed property could be established through traditional history, title documents, acts of possession, or possession by connection.
According to the judge, the prosecution did not present any of these forms of evidence to prove that the properties located at Fountain Estate in Karsana, said to belong to Ramatu Kyari, were owned by the suspended police officer.
The court also held that the prosecution failed to produce material evidence linking Kyari to properties located on Linda Choko Road in Asokoro, Abuja, as well as properties in Maiduguri, Borno State.
In his defence, Kyari maintained that the properties in Borno State belonged to his late father, who bequeathed them to him and his siblings.
The judge held that the prosecution failed to prove otherwise.
Justice Omotosho also faulted the prosecution for charging Kyari’s brothers with conspiracy, describing the allegation as unsubstantiated.
He described the NDLEA’s case as weak and lacking credible evidence, adding that the defendant had served the country well and should not be subjected to persecution.
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