The officers of the Imo State Police Command have uncovered three decomposing corpses suspected to be kidnapped victims at a forest in Ihiagwa and Avu communities in Owerri West Local Government Area of the state.
The Imo State Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Henry Okoye, disclosed the discovery in Owerri, the state capital, on Monday, January 29, 2024.
A viral video on social media had earlier showed about four decomposing bodies reportedly uncovered in the forest by Imo hunters and forest guards.
Okoye said the Imo State Commissioner of Police, Aboki Danjuma, directed a tactical team to thoroughly search all the bushes and forests in the area to see if there were more kidnappers and dead bodies.
He said: “Operatives of Imo State Police Command Special Tactical Squad, led by the Commissioner of Police, Aboki Danjuma, raided a forest along Avu-Ihiagwa communities, suspected to be kidnappers hideout.
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“In the process, five suspected kidnappers were arrested, while three decomposing unidentified corpses suspected to be kidnap victims were recovered.
“The command intends to carry out further DNA confirmatory tests to ascertain the identities of the victims.”
The police spokesman stated that the intense combing of the forest and other nooks and crannies of Imo State was ongoing with the aim of stamping out all forms of crime and criminality.
He advised the people of the state to avail police sensitive information that could aid them in arresting criminals, as well as secure and safeguard the state.
Okoye urged the public to either go to their closest Divisional Police Officer (DPO), the Area Commanders, or Commanders of the Tactical Teams.
