The Enugu State Police Command has arrested one Ifeanyi Amadikwa, 52, in Enugu metropolis for alleged murder and dumping in a fridge of his three female tender children.
The Command’s Public Relations Officer, ASP Daniel Ndukwe, confirmed the development in a statement on Wednesday.
He said that the suspect, who lives at 74, Nkwubor Road, Emene, near Enugu, was arrested on January 4 at about 7:30pm.
Ndukwe said the suspect was arrested by police operatives attached to Enugu Metro Police Area Command.
According to the police spokesman, his three female tender children he murdered are: Chidalum Amadikwa, 11 (who is his step-daughter); Amarachi Amadikwa, 8; and Ebubechukwu Amadikwa, 4.
He said: “Preliminary investigation showed that the suspect’s wife and mother of the children, went to the market with her only male child on January 4, leaving the others in the suspect’s custody.
“She, however, came back in the evening hours of the said date and could not find any of the three children.
“But while searching for them, the suspect drew her attention to the said fridge he had brought back home from his shop on January 2 and kept in their apartment’s veranda.
“And on a closer observation, the lifeless bodies of the children were found in the fridge with bruises, suggesting that they might have been murdered and dumped in the fridge.”
Ndukwe said that the bodies of the deceased children were immediately moved to the hospital, where they were confirmed dead by medical doctors on duty and deposited in the mortuary for preservation and autopsy.
He said that the Commissioner of Police in the state, Lawal Abubakar, had commiserated with the mother, relatives and friends of the deceased children.
The police spokesman said that the Commissioner had assured commitment to thoroughly investigate the case and ensure that justice prevails.
“In view of this, the commissioner has ordered the Deputy Commissioner of Police in-charge of State Criminal Intelligence and Investigation Department to conduct a conclusive investigation into the case and ensure everyone found culpable is brought to book,” he added.
