The Kogi State Police Command has announced the arrest of a 20-year-old man, Jeremiah Samson, for the murder and dismemberment of a 19-year-old female student, Damilola, allegedly for ritual purposes.

The State Police Public Relations Officer, William Aya, confirmed on Thursday that Samson was apprehended in Lokoja on Wednesday and is currently under investigation.

Aya said, “Investigation revealed that Samson had previously kidnapped the victim, who was a student at the Federal University, Lokoja, and demanded a ransom of N400,000 from her parents. After receiving the money, he strangled the victim, dismembered her body, and buried her in a shallow grave.

“Samson confessed that he contacted a herbalist known as Arab Money via Facebook, who prescribed the ritual. The suspect, originally from Kaduna South, admitted that he decided to kill the victim after she attempted to escape from captivity.”

Aya further disclosed that while the victim was Samson’s first target, police detectives discovered two bodies at the scene, with one already decayed. The bodies were exhumed from a bush near the NNPC filling station in Felele.

The police spokesperson confirmed that Samson will be charged in court once the investigation is complete.