The Bayelsa State Police Command have arrested the alleged attackers of Miss Folakemi Akinbode, a National Youth Service Corps, NYSC, member serving in the state whose right hand was almost chopped off, Monday night, at Obunagha in Yenagoa Local Government Area.
The two suspects, Ebi Jatto and Weriye Aluwa, it was gathered, were nabbed 72 hours after the attack through the support of the Obunagha community youths. They are currently in police custody.
The traditional ruler of the Obunagha community, the Ibolou XI, H.R.H Godsgive Apoh, confirmed the arrest, saying the prompt arrest of the suspected attackers was made possible by the emergency meeting of youth vigilante body set up to investigate and apprehend those involved in the attack.
The state Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. Alex Akhigbe, also confirmed the arrest but said they were yet to establish the motive behind the attack.
The victim, Miss Akinbode was attacked with a machete for reportedly refusing to hand over unspecified amount of money in her possession while returning from work that fateful day.
The suspects were arrested at Koroama community about two kilometres from the scene of crime while attempting to sell the mobile phone of their victim.
The suspects had confessed to the crime and claimed that the lady struggled with them in their attempt to snatch her bag, according to a security source.
The 26-year-old corps member was attacked while returning to the lodge near the Niger Delta University Teaching Hospital, Okolobori, her place of primary assignment.
Miss Akinbode, a graduate Nurse of Madonna University was reported to have been in charge of huge amount of money used by the hospital to pay blood donors at the blood bank section of the hospital.
A security source said the arrested suspects were present during the payment made to the blood donors by the corps member.
According to the security source, “they claimed that all they wanted from her was the remaining money she kept in her bag after the payments in the afternoon. But that when she struggled and identified one of them, she was attacked with machete.”
