IGP Visits Families of Kidnapped Girls in Takoradi

By Peter Gbambila

Takoradi — The Inspector General of Police (IGP), Mr James Oppong-Boanuh has visited families of the kidnapped girls at Takoradi in the Western Region to solicit their support in DNA investigations into the case.

The meeting between the IGP and the families which was held behind closed doors was said to be fruitful with the families pledging their co-operation with the investigators to bring finality to the case.

The Director of Communication of the Ghana Police Service, Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) David Eklu who addressed the journalists later appealed to the media to be circumspect in their reportage on the Takoradi missing girls.

He said some media reports drew conclusion which frightened the families of the victims.

Mr Eklu said the IGP had visited the four families at Takoradi and Nsuaem both in the Western Region.

He told the media that the families have shown their readiness to co-operate with the investigators to come out with a credible solution to the problem.

Mr Eklu said wrong media reportage might affect the ongoing investigations so the media should be factual and not jump to conclusions.

Mr Eklu said a family liaison officer has been appointed by the four families to liaise with the police to find a lasting solution to the problem.

Meanwhile a team of experts arrived in Takoradi today to obtain samples from relatives of the three kidnapped girls for analysis.

The police assured the public that they would cover all other angles of the investigations, while its experts conclude DNA test within four weeks.

The police retrieved human remains from a septic tank close to the house of prime suspect, Samuel Udeotuk Wills, at Kansaworodo, in the Sekondi-Takoradi metropolis, on Friday.

The August 5, 2019 issue of the Ghanaian Times reported that the police last Saturday met families of the three kidnapped women after skeletons were discovered in a manhole at Kansaworodo, in the Sekondi-Takoradi on Friday.

However, one more suspect had been arrested in Nigeria in connection with the kidnapping case following a joint operation carried with their Nigerian counterpart.

The arrest of Chika John Nnodim on August 5, 2019 brings the number of arrested suspects in the case to three.

Samuel Udeoruk Wills, 28 was the first arrested by the police in connection with the case but escaped from police custody after being remanded in court for the offence of kidnapping.

Wills was later rearrested and sentenced to 18 months'imprisonment for escaping from lawful custody.

The second suspect, John Oji was also arrested by the police in neighbouring Togo.

Oji had since been remanded into police custody whilst investigations continue.

The kidnapped girls are 18-year-old Priscilla Mantebea Koranchie, last seen on December 21, 2018, 21-year-old Priscilla Blessing Bentum, last seen on August 17, 2018 and 18-year-old Ruth Love Quayson, last seen on December 4, 2018.

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