The Police in Cross River state have discovered the body of one Miss Harmony Edemawan who was allegedly kidnapped, killed and dumped inside a septic tank by a 49-year-old man, Eyo Etim Bassey, over a debt owed her by the suspect.
It was learnt that the Anti Cultism and Kidnapping Squad(ACKS), a tactical Unit of the Cross River state Police Command while investigating a reported case of kidnapping, arrested the suspect after discovering the body of the deceased inside the septic tank in the early hours of Christmas day.
According to security sources, the ACKS ( Dragon squad) led by, SP Ogini Chukwuma swung into action based on report of the victim’s kidnap from her residence on Thursday, 22nd of December at Ikot Offiong Ambai in Akpabuyo LGA of Cross River state.
The sources said that Dragon Squad mobilised and stormed the residence of the victim and found her lifeless body inside the septic tank, then took her to the morgue.
They further said based on credible intelligence using undercover agents, the Squad arrested the suspect, who allegedly abducted the victim, killed her and dumped her corpse inside a septic tank on Thursday.
Confirming the incident, the Cross River state Commissioner of Police, CP Sule Balarabe said it was true they have a suspect in custody in connection to the kidnap of a middle-aged lady whose remains were later discovered in a septic tank.
“The suspect had earlier given false information that the victim sold his property amounting to about 9 million naira and didn’t want to remit the same amount back to him.
“So he contacted some persons to abduct her ( Harmony ) in a bid to recover the money, she was killed and dumped inside the septic tank.
“We have recovered her body from the septic tank and deposited same at the mortuary and further investigation is ongoing to unravel the mystery and also arrest other accomplices involved”.
A family source who pleaded to remain anonymous revealed that the suspect, Etim Bassey borrowed about 1.2 million naira from the victim, who he is also dating her niece ( Ruth Edem, 22), a 200-level UNICAL student).
The source said that the victim is a Lafarge staff and the breadwinner of her family only wanted to help the suspect by supporting him with some money to boost his palm oil business earlier this year.
“My sister gave him the money in tranches and it’s about 1.2 million naira, earlier this year to enable him to boost his palm oil business.
“It’s about a year and my sister needed to return the money he borrowed back from where she got it , because it’s not her own, but the suspect refused instead he turned the whole thing around claiming he gave my sister a house document to sell, and my sister absconded with the proceeds of 9 million.
“I last saw my sister on Wednesday, 21st December, then on Thursday we spoke on phone, but she told me she was in the bathroom promising to call me back, but I never heard from her again until, the shocking news of her death on Christmas day,” the family source said.
