A tricycle rider simply identified as IK has allegedly beaten his lover and mother of two to death following a heated argument and reportedly fled, leaving her corpse with their children in Ogbogoro Community in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area of Rivers State.
The incident, said to have occurred along the CPM Street axis of Ogbogoro on Tuesday, sent shock waves through the community as some residents tried to catch a glimpse of the gory scene to confirm the sad news.
Though the cause of the argument could not be ascertained as of the time of filing this report, a resident of the area who simply gave his name as Senibo told newsmen that neighbours and passers-by were attracted to the scene when they saw the lifeless body of the woman and two toddlers inside the tricycle.
Senibo stated, “It was around 7 a.m. when residents were alerted to a disturbing scene along the street. Two young female children, both under the age of six and the lifeless body of an adult woman were found inside a stationary tricycle.
“So policemen from the Ozuoba Police Division were contacted immediately. The policemen arrived at the scene and started interviewing the older child. The child told them (the police) how her father used an object to beat their mother at a guest house where they had lodged on Monday night.”
The resident further said the child reportedly stated that after realising that the woman could neither stand nor speak, the suspect drove them out of the guest house, abandoned the children and their mother’s body inside the tricycle, and fled, apparently to evade arrest.
Our correspondent gathered that the police later contacted the deceased’s sister, who came and positively identified the body, after which the remains were deposited in a mortuary for preservation and further investigation.
It was further gathered that the late woman’s sister has also taken custody of the two children.
When contacted, the spokesperson for the Rivers State Police Command, Blessing Agabe, confirmed the incident, saying an investigation is ongoing to ensure the suspect is apprehended and brought to justice.
Agabe, an Assistant Superintendent of Police, further disclosed that the Ozuoba Police Division received a distress report from a passer-by who noticed two children and a woman who appeared lifeless inside a blue tricycle parked by the roadside, prompting immediate action.
The ASP stated, “The Ozuoba Police Division patrol team swiftly moved to the scene, where officers found the lifeless body of a woman and two children aged about five years and six months, respectively.
“The suspect subsequently abandoned the children and the woman’s corpse inside the tricycle before fleeing. Investigation is ongoing to arrest the suspect and make him face the law.”
ASP Agabe also confirmed that the two children are currently in the care of the deceased’s sister.
