An evil teenager in Anambra State has strangulated his grandmother, disclosing that he committed the heinous crime because he had donated her to his cult. The satanic teenager, Osita Nweke, was among suspected criminals paraded before journalists in Awka on Friday by the Anambra State Police Command.

Nweke, from Amanuke, Awka North Local Government Area, is accused of strangulating his grandmother, Mrs. Martha Ekulide of Umuodegu Village, Achalla, to death to donate to his cult after robbing her of beverages and other items.

Speaking with journalists, the 15-year-old Nweke admitted to killing his grandmother for sacrifice to a secret cult to which he belongs. He said that he joined the occult group when he was in Taraba State, had shared blood meals with them and had to kill the deceased as his own contribution to the cult.

Also paraded were Friday Chibueze and his wife Amauche, who were apprehended for allegedly stealing ten children from different hospitals in connivance with three nurses. The nurses as well as 19 other criminals arrested for various odious crimes were equally paraded.

Parading the suspects at the State Police Command Headquarters in Awka, the Commissioner of Police, Mr. Hassan Karma, said that Mr. and Mrs. Chibueze specialised in stealing newborn babies in hospitals within Anambra State and its environs.

He disclosed that on interrogation, the couple gave the names of the nurses that connived with them as Mrs. Ogechi Okoye of Reigns Hospital Igboukwu, Ebubechukwu Okpalu of Health Care Centre, Nnobi and Eberechukwu Okala of Children Specialist Hospital, Uga.

Karma said that the arrested nurses were already helping the police in their investigation and possible arrest of one Ezenwanyi said to be in possession of the missing children.

Other suspects paraded included Agumba Okoli, Onyeama Chibuzor, Ebuka Akummadu and Chukwunonso Akummadu for allegedly using gun to kidnap newborn babies in hospitals within the state and its environs; Chidi Chukwunalu of Umuchima Village, Uli, for robbing Mrs. Kelechi Okoli of Umuchima, also of Uli, of her jewelries and sum of N370,000 at gunpoint.

Ikechukwu James of Mechanic Village, Owerri, Chidera Onukwu, also from Owerri, and Michael Okoro from Delta State were caught in police net for possession of two toy guns in an attempt to rob passengers at Oguta Road, Onitsha, and Chibuike Okafor from Delta State but residing in Okpuno, Awka, for the production of fake plate numbers for motor vehicles and motorcycles.

Speaking with journalists, the baby thief suspect, Friday Chibueze, from Abia State, confessed to the crime. He said that as a commercial cyclist, he used his motorcycle to convey his wife to various hospitals and contact points for stealing and selling of babies.

On her part, the wife, Amauche, who is visibly pregnant, said that she was assisted in stealing the babies by some nurses whom she said she paid between N50,000 and N100,000 for every child. She disclosed that they sold the stolen children to one Ezenwanyi at Ozubulu at the cost N200,000 each.

Defending herself, one of the nurses, Ebubechukwu Okpala, from Nawfia, Anambra State, said she was a student nurse of the School of Health, Obosi, but denied knowing Madam Amanuke or receiving N50,000 from her. Another of the nurses, Mrs Ogechi Okoye, admitted that a child was stolen from the hospital where she worked while she was on duty but denied any involvement in the crime.

•File photo shows CP Hassan Karma speaking during a courtesy call on Anambra Governor Willie Obiano.