By Evelyn Usman
The Lagos State Police Command has arrested three additional suspects in connection with the gang- rape and murder of 11-year-old Favour Okechukwu, in Ejigbo area of Lagos.
The deceased, a Junior Secondary School 3 student was sent on an errand by her mother, last Wednesday, by 3 p.m, but never returned.
On arrival from his business place at about 6pm, her father, Okechukwu Dickson, went in search of her, only to discover her corpse in a building on 4, Olarewaju street, not too far from his house.
On closer observation, she was discovered to be naked, with her body stained with blood, while residents of the building fled, out of fear of being arrested by the Police.
Two persons were earlier arrested but they denied culpability. Those arrested yesterday were said to be hibernating in the room where Favour’s corpse was discovered. they also denied having a hand in the rape and murder.
When Vanguard visited the area, residents said that occupants of the room where Favour’s lifeless body was found had been into such atrocity, for a long time.
One of the residents who spoke on the condition of anonymity said . “ all they know how to do is smoke Indian hemp from morning to night. When they are hungry they pickpockets. They have been into this rape business for long. All they do is to lure girls, especially minors into the room, rape and throw them out.
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“ They have a nurse who works hand-in-hand with them. In one of the cases, one of the girls fainted and they rushed her to the nurse. In Favour’s case, some occupants of the building said they saw when they rushed her to one nurse who could not treat her. They took her to a second nurse who confirmed her dead. They dumped her in the room and fled. This will be the last straw”.
Vanguard gathered that the suspects who denied taking part in the rape were at the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department, SCIID Yaba.
The Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, SP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, who described the act as barbaric, said the Commissioner of Police, CP Hakeem Odumosu has ordered discreet investigation into the matter with a view to arresting the fleeing suspects.
