Nigerian Newsday

The Nasarawa State Police Command as well as parents of a 13-year-old Junior Secondary School (J.S.S.II) student of Federal Government College, Keffi Nasarawa State, Master Nnana Ocheolo, are now battling to find out how the boy who had left home for church service penultimate Sunday was discovered dead in a well in Keffi town.

In an interview with our reporter, Mr. Simeon Olupe, the chairman of Mbaise Progressive Union (MPU), Keffi branch to which the deceased belonged, Master Nnanna Ocheolo left home around 3 o’clock p.m. to attend church service but did not return home as expected.

As a result he said, a search team was organized and after two days of searching, Ocheolo’s dead body was located inside one of the abandoned wells, some meters away from his family house at 8-man’s quarters, Keffi.

The dead body was immediately taken to the Federal Medical Center, Keffi, for postmortem.

The result of the postmortem showed that the boy was strangulated to death after being hit at the back of his head.

The abandoned wells were the major source of water in Keffi town during the colonial period and up to late 80s. They were abandoned following the construction of Akwanga, Keffi and Doma ADB-assisted multi-million naira water project.

It was gathered that a boy of about 22 years old who was seen around the area a day before the dead body was discovered, was arrested by the police. He was however, released for lack of evidence linking him to the death of Nnanna Ocheolo.

The MPU president however, appealed to security agents and other stakeholders to step up efforts, aimed at arresting and bringing to book those who killed the 13-year-old boy.

He further called on governments at the local and state levels to cover the abandoned wells and clear the bush around the 8-man quarters, which he noted could be used as a hideout for criminals in the area.

When contacted for comment, the Divisional Police Officer in charge of the area, Mr. Adala, confirmed the incident adding that the body has since been released to the family of the deceased for burial. He assured that full investigation would be conducted into the matter.

It would be recalled that three unidentified dead bodies were found under a bridge along Keffi – Akwanga road at different times this year.