The Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki has given the State Police Command seven days to embark on a thorough investigation of the 20 mummified bodies found in a seeming shrine in Benin.
He called for calm among the citizens and urged them to await the outcome of police investigation into the ownership and purpose of the bungalow where the bodies were found.
Obaseki spoke through his Special Adviser, Crusoe Osagie, at a joint press conference with the police in Benin on Friday.
He said that police would look into speculations whether the bungalow is a quack morgue or a shrine for rituals.
The Governor assured the public that they would be briefed on the progress of the investigations.
He said: “We want to call for calm from the public, we don’t want to preempt the outcome of police investigation, the police is actively doing their investigations.
“There are a lot of speculations going round; some people suspect that the place is a quack morgue. Could it be for ritual purposes? We are giving that to the police.
“People have been apprehended and they are undergoing questioning. Some people are still being looked for. The governor has given seven days for them to come back to us with the details of what they have found out.
“Was it just a morgue or is there any ritual involved? No conclusions have been reached yet so police will be allowed to do its work.
“We are going to continuously brief the public and we are also taking measures through the Ministry of Health to ensure that there is no public health crisis in that area.
“Edo is safe and there is no evidence yet that anything ritual is involved until the police are through with their investigation.” He said
Speaking on the side of the police, the Deputy Commissioner of Police SCID, Olawore Oluwole who is in charge of the police gave the assurance that the police would be professional in the investigation.
He said that five suspects are now in police custody in connection with the mummified bodies in a bungalow in Benin.
He said that the police are still looking for a suspect who name he gave as Otu Chukwu.
He said “Based on credible intelligence, a bungalow was located at Asoro area and in that bungalow we found some dried bodies and some items like generator, gas cylinder, oxygen cylinder. While investigation was in progress, five suspects were arrested.
“They are Chimaobi Okoewu and Samuel Okoh both from Ebonyi State, Gideon Sunday from Akwa-Ibom, Victor Obeche from Anambra and Yusuf Lawal from Katsina state.
“So far we are still looking for one of the suspects and efforts are being made to get him and his name is Otu Chukwu who is alleged to be the owner of the bungalow and soonest he will be apprehended.
“I want to appeal to all members of the public to remain calm as the Command is assuring that everything will be done to ensure that all hidden facts are unraveled.”