An 11-year-old missing boy, Joshua Sunday, has been found dead inside a drum in Asaba, the Delta State capital.
The deceased was found dead inside a drum containing water in his compound at Usonia street, back of Stephen Keshi Stadium, three days after he went missing.
Narrating the incident on Wednesday, February 8, 2023, the deceased’s mother, Christy Garuba, said her son went missing on Thursday, and was found dead on Sunday, February 5.
She alleged that her son was killed and brought back to the compound.
“I travel to the West part of the country, on my way coming back to Asaba on Thursday, February 2, I called my son Joshua informing him that I was coming back home; that was around 3pm; he was still in school for primary six lessons because he is preparing for common entrance (primary six exams. Because of fuel scarcity, we couldn’t get fuel on time which delay my movement to Asaba,” she told the Punch.
“I got to Asaba around 7 pm, entered the house, and immediately I saw my son’s slippers scattered on the ground but didn’t see the boy. I asked my house help the whereabouts of Joshua and she said she suspected he went to charge his phone. I went to the place he normally goes to charge the phone, but he was not there.
“I started searching for my son everywhere but I didn’t see him. It was in the evening I went to report the case at the A Division police station. After three days, I was told to go and check somewhere for my son, immediately I went out they called me back that they have seen my son. I went back to my compound and saw my son dead inside the drum in my corridor.
“Imagine the drum I collected water from to wash my face on Friday morning, was where they said they found my son. They killed him and sneaked him back inside the drum.”
The grieving mother called on the security agency in the state to expedite action against the killers in order to give him justice.
Spokesperson of the State Police Command, SP Bright Edafe, who confirmed the incident said some suspects have been arrested:
“The police are waiting for the autopsy to ascertain the cause of the boy’s death. Some suspects have been arrested but now I cannot tell you the numbers of the suspects arrested,” he added.
