Kehinde Fajobi
The Edo State police have confirmed the arrest of a 16-year-old girl, Aisha Suleiman, accused of causing the deaths of her ex-boyfriend, Emmanuel Elogie, and four others through poisoned food.
A viral video circulating on social media since Wednesday shows the aftermath of the tragedy, which reportedly led to the deaths of four males and one female.
Edo State police spokesperson, Moses Joel Yamu, stated that they received a distress call on October 29 reporting that the girl was at risk of being lynched by local youths.
Police promptly arrived to rescue the suspect, who was then taken to the State Criminal Investigation Department for further investigation.
In his statement, Yamu said: “The command received a report on 26/10/2024 at about 0730hrs from one Mr Elogie Ezekiel of Afashio community, that at about 0630hrs of the same date, he went to check his son named Emmanuel Elogie, 19 years old, at his apartment.
“That upon gaining entrance into the apartment, he met the lifeless body of his son’s friend, Nurudeen (surname unknown), in the corridor. He proceeded further and found the lifeless bodies of his son and his girlfriend, Ada Samuel, 16 years old, on the bed in the bedroom, along with two of his son’s friends, Samuel and Jeffrey Ayegwalo, who were siblings, in the sitting room. They were evacuated to the hospital, where the doctor confirmed them dead.”
Yamu added, “On 29/10/2024 at about 1710hrs, operatives from the Jattu Division received information that Aisha Suleiman, 16, allegedly responsible for the deaths of Emmanuel and four others, was about to be lynched by some young men from the community
“They mobilised to the scene, rescued the suspect to the station, and the case was transferred the next day to the State Criminal Investigation Department for a discrete investigation,” the statement continued.
Edo State Commissioner of Police, Umoru Peter Ozigi, has directed that no stone be left unturned in uncovering the cause of the deaths.
He also warned against jungle justice, assuring the public that justice would be served following a thorough investigation.