By Annie Achunike
Operatives of the ONELGA Security Planning And Advisory Committee (OSPAC) have arrested three persons in connection with the death of a 24-year-old man, Lucky Wilson following complications from harvesting his hunchback.
The suspects were arrested in Port Harcourt while attempting to flee the city to an unknown destination.
One of the suspects who identified himself as Olawole Olawale, 54, said he is the Resident Pastor of Beryl Christian Church, located at Osiakpo, near Omoku, headquarters of ONELGA.
On interrogation by the OSPAC, Olawale explained that the victim was handed over to him by his father, Ejike Wilson and younger brother, Pastor Paul Wilson, for surgical operation to enable them extract ‘mercury’ from the victims hunchback.
He narrated his story: “Sometime last year, at Pastor Paul church, I met a man called Ejike whom he introduced to me as his elder brother.
“While we were there, he said the brother has a son with hunchback which he is planning to do away with. And I asked him , why, what happened?
“He said the boy is a thief, this, and that”, said the suspect, adding that the Ejike Wilson had in the past made a failed attempt to sell the boy.
Olawale went on: “He asked whether I know the people who can take up the boy. I told him that I will make enquiries.
“My first contact was an NGO in Owerri which said they. would extract the mercury and pay us N5m.
“Now I asked him what will be our own percentage. At last both Paul and Ejike accepted the N5m offer, but they couldn’t show up again”.
The suspect said he approached another contact in Abeokuta, Ogun State, who offered N10m but that payment will be made in 2 to 3 months time which was agreed by the parties.
He said the father of the victim, Ejike Wilson kept visiting his office and disturbing him.
“The day we travelled for the surgery to Lagos before heading to Abeokuta , Ejike handed over the boy to me and Paul gave me N15,000 for transportation.
“At the hospital, I called the father because of the document we were to sign, but he told me to go ahead (and sign on his behalf).
“The operation was carried out and the mercury was extracted but at the end the boy couldn’t make it”, he narrated.
The suspect said he called Ejike Wilson, asking if he should return with the corpse so he could at least, show it to his people, but that the man declined, arguing that the “property” belonged to him, and that since he would pay me N5m for my efforts, I should bury the boy. “So, I asked the hospital to bury the boy”, Olawale said.
He further narrated that Ejike Wilson has been going around telling people that he is expecting the money which, he said, will be due in two to three months time.
Pastor Olawale said he felt remorseful and that he has been thinking of his actions.
He also disclosed that the victim, once pleaded with him to take him for the surgery as he desired to be like a normal person, but he made it known to him that his chances of survival is 50-50 and that the victim was optimistic he would survive the surgery.
Oluwale disclosed that the mercury was yellowish in colour and that he was going to collect the agreed N10m from his clients in Abeokuta before they were arrested, following a tipoff from the victim’s mother to OSPAC.
On his own part, Pastor Paul Onwusah Wilson, 38, agreed that he was the one that introduced his elder brother, Ejike to Olawale but never partook in their meetings.
“Ejike said he has the final say over his son but I was shocked when I heard that I sold my cousin. This is why I vowed to ensure that I trapped Wale to exonerate myself. They said I financed the whole show which I didn’t”, said the suspect, Pastor Paul Wilson.
All three suspects have been handed over to the AIG Monitoring Unit, Zone 16, Yenagoa, Bayelsa State for further investigation and prosecution.
OSPAC Commander General, Felix Nwobakata while addressing journalists in Omoku on Thursday, said the incident would serve as a deterrent to anyone trying to toe the line of ritualism,
The OSPAC chief urged residents to go about their normal businesses and report any suspicious movement to the security agencies.