The Nigerian Police Force, Rivers State Command, has announced the arrest of a notorious Port Harcourt serial killer identified as Gracious David-West. The arrest as reported by the Police was made on Thursday 19th September 2019, along East-West Road en route to Uyo from Port Harcourt.
According to the statement by the Police, Gracious David-West who is said to be 26-years old hails from Buguma Local Government Area of Rivers State. He is also alleged by the Police to be a member of the Degbam cult group.
Although the Port Harcourt serial killer has confessed to the killing of a young girl in Rumuomasi which is around the stadium area in Port Harcourt on Tuesday morning, no statement has been made as to whether he is behind all the deaths of young girls killed inside various hotel rooms in Portharcourt and Imo State before his arrest. But the Police stated that since the arrest of the Port Harcourt serial killer, he has made useful statements to the Police.
The Police in their statement said an investigation is ongoing which is intended to ascertain his motives and possible accomplices.
“The Commissioner of Police Rivers State, CP Mustapha Dandaura will be briefing the media on this significant Police breakthrough tomorrow, September 20, 2019”.
West was declared wanted by the police on Wednesday after a Close Circuit Television Camera (CCTV) footage showed he had booked into a hotel with a young woman who was found dead on Tuesday.
It was gathered that the suspect confessed to have killed five women in similar manner in Imo State and seven in Port Harcourt City.
West, it was gathered, told detectives that he was under a curse from his community and it was responsible for his actions.
Narrating how he strangled his victims, he said: “We were inside the club then we discussed on how much I will pay her. After that we left the club to the hotel at Osas Road. When we got there, they took her up and I said let me look for a way to arrange for food that we will both eat.
“After eating, we slept till the next morning around 5:30am. I brought out a knife. She was unaware there was a knife. So, I told her not to shout that if she does I will use the knife on her.
“Out of fear she kept quite. During that time the television volume was loud. Then I used the wrapper to tie her hands her legs from the back and strangled her with pillow case” he said.