Metro
Port Harcourt Serial Killer Boasts: I killed Women Whenever I Had the Urge
A serial killer, Gracious West, who specialised in killing young women in hotel rooms, has narrated how he strangled seven victims in Lagos, Imo and Rivers states.
The 38-year-old suspect said he went on his murderous mission whenever he had the urge to kill a young woman.
The suspect, who was arrested on Thursday by personnel of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad, explained that he threatened the women, whom he met at clubs, with a knife before tying them with pieces of cloth.
West is the third member of a syndicate involved in the serial murder of young girls in hotels arrested by the Nigeria Police since the first incident, which happened at D-Line area of Port Harcourt in July 2019.
West, who is the prime suspect in the serial killings, was arrested in Bori in the Khana Local Government Area on his way to Akwa Ibom from Rivers State, after his photograph and a video showing him entering the reception of one of the hotels went viral.
Speaking on Friday when he was paraded by the police, 38-year-old West explained that he carried out his deadly plans when his victims were asleep after having sex with them.
“While a victim is sleeping, I will put the kitchen knife on her neck and ask her not to shout. I would threaten to kill her if she shouts. So out of fear, she would not shout and I would tell her that I would not kill her if she cooperates.
“I would tear the pillowcase and tie their hands and legs and strangle them. While this was going on, some of them would tell me that they had money in their accounts.
“After confirming how much they had in their accounts, I would collect the pin numbers and at daybreak when I must have killed them, I would go to ATM and collect the money in the account,” West recounted.
He explained that he used the money he got from the deceased’s bank account to prepare for further lethal operations in hotels in Lagos, Imo and Owerri, adding that his first victim, who he killed in Lagos, had N52,000 in her account.
“I have killed five girls in Port Harcourt, one in Owerri and one in Lagos. I started the killing in Lagos; that was where I got N52,000. After that, I went to Port Harcourt, then to Owerri. I returned to Port Harcourt and the last woman I met was at a club,” he added.
The suspect stated that he always collected the mobile phones of her suspects and sold them at the Waterlines area in Port Harcourt, so that the police would not be able to get in touch with the victims’ relatives.
Surprisingly, West, from Asari-Toru, attributed his action to an unknown force, adding that whenever the urge to kill came, he would not stop until he murdered a young woman in a hotel.
He said, “After realising my sins, I sought spiritual intervention in a church. I told the pastor that I have been killing girls in hotels and the pastor said that they had a crusade programme and invited me to see the senior pastor but I waited and couldn’t see him.
“So, I left the church and went back and checked into a hotel. Seriously, I don’t know what makes me to kill; whenever it comes on me, that is when I kill, later I regret and feel sober but after a while, I would go and kill again.”
However, the state Commissioner of Police, Mr Mustapha Dandaura, said the arrest of West became possible with the assistance of one of the hotels that complied with the directive on the installation of closed circuit television.
The CP said, “The hotel later reported to the police about the development and released to us the telephone number he (West) dropped with the hotel. We began to track him on his phone, and with God on our side, he was arrested along Bori, Ogoni axis, on East-West Road while he was on his way to Akwa Ibom, on Thursday afternoon. Men of the command’s Special Anti-Robbery Squad were on their usual stop-and-search duties when they intercepted a commercial bus heading towards Uyo, Akwa Ibom State.
“When they asked the passengers in a vehicle to disembark for a search, they saw the suspect in the same attire (a T-shirt and blue trousers) he wore in the viral video. The SARS team called my attention to it on the phone and I asked that he should be brought straight to my office.
“The moment he stepped into my office, I called him by his name, David West and he answered. He then said to me, ‘Please sir, I am ready to tell you the truth, I don’t want any problem.’
“It was at that point that I directed that they unlock his handcuffs so that he could relax and be free to talk and give me all the necessary information that I needed. During the interrogation, he confessed that majority of the killings in hotels were done by him. To be sure of what he said, we asked him to name the hotels where he had killed.
“He brought out the list which matched with the hotels where the killings took place in the state. He also said he was a member of De-gbam cult.”
West, according to the police commissioner, did not have a gun, but killed his victims by tying and strangling them.
Dandaura said the suspect also confessed to funding his stay in hotels with the money he illegally got from his victims’ debit cards.
The Punch
Abuja, the nation’s federal capital, came alive with joy and excitement on Wednesday as a new set of winners in the ongoing Globacom Festival of Joy promotion received mouth-watering prizes they won at a special presentation ceremony held at the premises of Globacom at Aminu Kano Crescent.
A glittering brand new Toyota Prado, a brand new Kia Picanto, tricycles (Keke Napep) and scores of other prizes including power generating sets, sewing machines and grinding machines were handed over to joyful winners.
Sarah Ilya Madu was presented the keys to her brand-new Toyota Prado by Senator Simon Lalong, Senator Yemi Adaramodu, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Youth Development, supported by a stellar cast of celebrities and influencers.
Sarah, a federal civil servant from Borno State, who emerged winner of the Toyota Prado in the draw of the promotion held in Abuja last Friday, expressed shock when she was called up. She dropped the call from Globacom several times because the news was too good to be believed.
She said, “I was prevailed upon by my colleagues to do a video call with the Glo staff who called me. Even when I saw the office environment, I was still doubtful.” She added that when she eventually agreed to visit the Glo office, she went with a hefty colleague just in case she was being set up.
Ufot Victor, a 43-year-old businessman based in the FCT, was expectant about winning as he had been recharging regularly so as to cross the minimum requirement for a car. Winning a brand new Kia Picanto was a huge reward for his dedication.
Other lucky winners also went home with tricycles (Keke), power generating sets, sewing machines and grinding machines. Ireimiya Mallo, a SIM registration agent and native of Nasarawa State, who won Keke, said, ”I was so joyful on learning I had won a Keke”. He disclosed that he would be deploying it for commercial purpose”, while the winner of a power generating set, Felix Gabriel, thanked Globacom for always remembering Nigerians every year in its annual promos.
The Special Guest, Senator Simon Lalong, praised the Chairman of Globacom for putting the promo in place for Nigerians and also extolled his strong support for sports. He said he would love to be a winner in the Glo promo one day soon. Also Senator Yemi Adaramodu, the spokesman of the Senate and Chairman of the Senate Committee on Youth Development, said Globacom has always been a brand after his heart, adding that the network is not just attracting customers but also giving out to show that it means well not only for the customers but also for Nigerians.
In his remarks at the event, Globacom’s Head of Division, North West, Mr. Kazeem Kaka, said that to participate in the Festival of Joy promo, new and existing subscribers should dial *611# so as to opt into the promo and to keep recharging thereafter to meet the threshold for the various prizes. He added that new subscribers can participate immediately by purchasing a new SIM, registering it and dialing *611#.
Guests at the event included representatives of the National Lottery Regulatory Commission (NLRC), Mariam Imam, Assistant Director, Consumer Affairs at the Nigerian Communication Commission (NCC), Moses Iyi; comedians, Tee A, Seyi Law, and Gordons.
Others were Nollywood duo of Ebube Nwagbo and Juliet Ibrahim as well as popular content creator, Kiekie.
U.S immigration and border officials will be able to arrest migrants at so-called “sensitive” locations again, after the Trump administration overturned policies limiting where such arrests could happen.
Officers will now be able to make arrests at designated “sensitive” areas, including houses of worship, schools, and hospitals.
Officials have been prohibited from doing this since 2011.
Later, the Biden administration expanded the regulation, further restricting the authority’s powers.
“Criminals will no longer be able to hide in America’s schools and churches to avoid arrest,” the Department of Homeland Security said in a statement.
“The Trump Administration will not tie the hands of our brave law enforcement, and instead trusts them to use common sense.”
A second directive reinstates the ability for the U.S. to quickly deport any undocumented person arrested who is unable to prove they have been in the country for more than two years.
A 23-year-old Turkish OnlyFans model, Azranur AV aka Ezra Vandan, has been arrested by Istanbul police after announcing her plan to engage in sexual activity with 100 men within 24 hours.
Vandan’s social media post, in which she declared her intention to live-stream the act in an attempt to set a national record, was deemed “obscene” and “damaging” to public morals by authorities.
“My goal is to break a Turkish record first, then a world record!” she wrote in the now-viral post.
Her arrest was carried out by the Morality Bureau of the Istanbul Security Branch Directorate at a cosmetic surgery clinic in Atasehir, Istanbul.
