A suspect in connection with the heinous murder of a 13-year-old girl, Peace Chima Alfred, has been arrested by the Rivers State Police Command in Etche Local Government Area of the state.

It was earlier reported that the remains of the SS1 student from Amaku-Mba community, was found in a shallow grave inside a bush along Okehi-Amaku- Mba road.

It was gathered that the Community Secondary School, Okehi, student was abducted on her way back home after running an errand for her parents on Tuesday morning, November 7, 2023.

It was further learnt that the assailants dragged the girl into an uncompleted building in Umuolu Okehi where she was killed.

The Chairman, Community Development Association of Amaku-Mba, Kingsley Anyanwu, who confirmed the incident said the corpse of the teenager was found in the bush after she was kidnapped and killed.

“She was sent on an errand by her parents. On her way back, a group of boys kidnapped her and she was killed and buried along the Okehi-Amaku-Mba Road,” he explained.

“As it is now, the community is no longer safe. So we use this opportunity to call on the Commissioner of Police and our local government chairman to fish out those who are responsible for this barbaric act.”

Spokesperson for the Etche Local Government Area, Robinson Oluo, condemned the incident, saying one suspect has been arrested in connection with the incident.

“We want to condemn the murder of the 13-year-old. As we speak right now, the police have arrested one suspect in connection with the death of the young girl. The suspect is currently at the Okehi Divisional Police Station,” he said.

Spokesperson for the state Police Command, SP Grace Iringe-Koko, confirmed the incident and arrest of a suspect.

“Her parents sent her to go and buy meat in an abattoir and she didn’t return at the time they expected her to have come back,” the PPRO stated.

“So they went in search of her and saw her bicycle by a bush path. So they immediately informed the police, and the Divisional Police Officer swung into action and led a team to the bush.

“There they saw an uncompleted building and a shallow grave. So they (operatives) exhumed her corpse. One of the suspects has been arrested. Her corpse has been deposited in a morgue and investigation is ongoing.”

Meanwhile, LIB gathered that the arrested suspect is an ex-convict who was recently released from prison.