Dike, who raped and killed his eight-year-old nice, Victory Nmezuwuba, in Jos, Plateau State, had escaped from police custody before he was recaptured last week.
The suspect was first arrested in Eliozu, Port Harcourt, when he attempted to dispose off the mutilated body of his victim after removing her tongue, two eyes, two fingers and one breast.
Dike said:
“At the State Criminal Investigation Department, SCID, after I entered my statement late in the evening of the day of my first parade, my IPO asked me to go inside the cell. “That was when I had the opportunity to run away. My IPO did not help me escape. I know what I did was wrong, please forgive me and have mercy.”
Dike disclosed that he was re-arrested after his successful disappearance from Port Harcourt, when he got involved in another crime in the place he had escaped to in Plateau State.
He explained that he was faced with starvation after he arrived Plateau State and in an attempt to steal food he was apprehended by residents of the area, who later handed him over to the Police. According to him,
“I escaped to Jos. Having stayed for several days without food and due to the injuries I sustained, I was unable to get food to eat. So due to the hunger, I decided to source for food and that was where I was caught and handed over to the Police. “When I got to the Police station, at first I was hiding my identity, but on interrogation I got fed up and gave them (Police) my aunty’s phone number. “As soon as the Police called my aunty, she told them that I was declared wanted by the Rivers State Police command. She also handed my IPO’s phone number to the Police officers and they later confirmed that I am on the wanted list. After I was confirmed, I was detained and returned back to Rivers State on Sunday.”
Meanwhile, the Commissioner of Police in Rivers State, Mr. Ahmed Zaki, has described the re-arrest of Dike as an act of God, noting that providence has brought the suspect back to face justice. He said:
“Today (yesterday), with profound humility, I present to you the most wanted ritual killer, Mr. Ifeanyi Maxwell Dike. His re-arrest was made possible by God Almighty, through your numerous prayers and concerns, following his escape three weeks ago. “I wish to assure you that justice will not only be done, but be seen to be done in the circumstance to bring the full weight of the law to bear on him and any other person implicated in the cause of further investigations.” …
