Police recover skull of inspector from shrine

The Cross River State police commissioner, Hafiz Mohammed, paraded the head of a police inspector who was killed on Christmas Day from a local shrine as well as 529 suspected criminals arrested during the yuletide.

They included those alleged to have murdered the late cop.

Briefing newsmen at the state police command headquarters in Calabar yesterday, Hafiz said the crimes they allegedly committed included armed robbery, murder, kidnapping, vandalisation of public facilities, murder, arson, and defilement of minors.

Inuwa explained how the inspector was killed, saying, “On the 25th of December 2017, one Inspector Michael Umoh attached to the Special Anti-robbery Squad in Enugu who was on a visit with his family to his in-laws in the village of Ojor went to Uyangha in Akamkpa Local Government Area which is a neighbouring village to Ojor to buy fuel and he was attacked by youths of Uyangha, killed and beheaded and the head taken to a shrine in the village of Uyangha. His AK 47 riffle with double magazine was taken by his assailants and his Sienna car set ablaze . His body is yet to be seen but his head was recovered at a shrine.”

He said investigation led to arrest of Ophot Valentine Ebani, 54 years, ( the village head of Uyangha), Isaac James Akpan, Benjamin Phiilp, Patrick Effiong, Famous Mfon, Effiong Peter, Ndifon Arong, and Wisdom Bassey Inok.