PORT HARCOURT – The Police in Rivers State have debunked claims circulating online that four bags containing decapitated human body parts were dumped on Iwofe road median, behind the Omega Power Ministries in Port Harcourt.
The unfounded news had in the early hours of Thursday caused panic in the area , as residents due to the repugnant stench that oozed from the sealed bags, assumed it contained decomposing human body parts.
Responding to the development, the police in collaboration with the Rivers State Waste Management Agency (RIWAMA), swiftly reported to the scene, where it was discovered that the bags were rather filled with poultry debris, left there by yet-to-be-identified individuals.
A statement signed by the Rivers State Police Command Public Relations Officer, SP Grace Iringe-Koko on Thursday, disclosed that rumours were peddled by mischief makers who intended to mislead members of the public and cause panic and unrest.
SP Iringe-Koko, however called on residents of the state to go about their lawful business without fear as the alarm was false, encouraging members of the public to identify and make use of the assigned refuse dumping sites close to them to prevent misleading information such as the one that just occurred.
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SP Iringe-Koko said: “The attention of the Rivers State Police Command has been drawn to news making the rounds, especially on social media, of bags containing decapitated human bodies dumped behind the Omega Power Ministries along Iwofe Road.
“The Police responded swiftly to the claims by contacting the Rivers State Waste Management Agency (RIWAMA) to jointly examine the bags. The sole administrator of RIWAMA, Hon Prince Ohia Obi, led the agency’s public health team to carry out the examination process.
“It was discovered that the bags did not contain any human parts. Rather, the bags were filled with poultry debris dumped by yet-to-be-identified individuals.
“The Rivers State Waste Management Agency has since evacuated the debris to one of the designated dumpsites in the city of Port Harcourt.
“Those rumours were evidently peddled by mischief makers intent on misleading the gullible public, causing panic and generating unrest. The Command frowns at such behaviour and warns those rumour mongers to desist from it.
“Rivers residents can go about their lawful business without fear as the alarm was false. We also encourage members of the public to identify and make use of the assigned refused dumping sites close to them to prevent misleading information such as these, please.”
