Fear Of Ritual Killings Grip Residents Of Warri As Mother Of Two Found Dead In A Bridge

Fear of possible ritual killing has gripped residents of Otokutu and its neighbouring communities of Ugbromo and Ugbolokposo both in Ughelli South and Uvwie Council Areas of Delta State following the discovery of a lifeless body of a middle-aged woman at the popular Otokutu bridge along the DSC Expressway on Monday morning.

The development which is already causing uncertainty in the area was said to have occurred Sunday night but residents discovered the lifeless body of the victim Monday morning.

The woman which some eyewitnesses simply identified as Amanda was a mother of two and was alleged to have been murdered by unknown assassins on Sunday night before being dumped along the bridge.

A source told newsmen at the scene of the incident that the deceased must have been murdered elsewhere before the killers decided to drop her corpse at the bridge known for high profile ritual killings in the state.

It was gathered that the victim however did not sustained any injury on her body nor any part of her body cut-off by her killers as the usual practice by suspected ritualists operating within the area.

The lifeless body of the lady who was dressed in a red T-Shirt and a blue jean trouser was discovered at about 7am by motorists plying the route which immediately drew the attention of other motorists and residents who trooped in their hundreds catch glimpse of the ugly incident.

An eyewitness told our correspondent, “We don’t know what happened but the lady’s corpse was found this morning (Monday) by motorists who saw her along the bridge. One of the sympathizers identified her as Amanda and a mother of two but she is no longer in the marriage.

“From what we have heard so far, her lifeless body was dumped by her killers here not that she was killed by ritualists here. It is really unfortunate for this beautiful woman to be killed just like. From what we have seen no major or physical bruise was seen on her body. This type of incident is making us to be apprehensive driving through here at night.”

Policemen from the Otu-Jeremi division of the Ughelli Area Command were later moving the corpse to their station in company local vigilante youths from Otokutu community.

Otokutu community chairman, Mr Emmanuel Eko while confirming the incident, lamented the spate of ritual killings at the bridge saying that such was giving the community a bad name and stressed that they had done a lot to stop all forms of killings at the bridge.

“While we are not sure that the woman was killed here, we have spent over a million naira to hire tractors and bulldozers to clear and open up the swamp to stop people inhabiting under the bridge. You see that everywhere is now open unlike before when the entire area was grown with grasses.

“The day we started the clearing several suspected ritual killers fled the area. If you see what they eat is bought from shoprite and other fast foods. Government should come and join what we are doing to ensure that such sad incident that gives our community a bad name is nipped forever.”