The incident happened at Umumba Ndiagu, a community in Ezeagu Local Government Area of Enugu State.
The police in Enugu State say they have arrested three male suspects linked to the native doctor who allegedly buried several people alive in a sewage pit in the state.
The police spokesperson in the state, Daniel Ndukwe, disclosed this in a statement on Wednesday.
PREMIUM TIMES earlier reported how the native doctor, Onyeka Obu, allegedly buried several people in the pit, including a pregnant woman, apparently for ritual purposes.
Keep up with the latest headlines on WhatsApp | LinkedIn
The incident happened at Umumba Ndiagu, a community in Ezeagu Local Government Area of the state.
Mr Obu is popularly known as Ozo Ezeani and "E dey play, E dey show."
Residents told PREMIUM TIMES that the alleged act of the native doctor was uncovered when two boys working for him allegedly abducted a 13-year-old girl in the community and pushed her into the pit.
The girl was later rescued by security operatives who traced her to the pit, which was located close to the native doctor's apartment.
Arrest of the suspects
Mr Ndukwe, a superintendent of police, said in the Wednesday statement that police operatives from Umumba Division collaborated with Neighbourhood Watch personnel and vigilant community members to arrest the three suspects on Tuesday.
He identified the suspects as Uche Kingsley Agumba, 33; Ilo Nweze Onyedikachi, 36; and Ejike Odinwankpa, 38.
The police spokesperson said the security operatives also collaborated to rescue the 13-year-old girl who was kidnapped for suspected ritual killing by the native doctor's boys.
He, however, said the native doctor had fled the scene before the security operatives arrived.
"During the rescue, two decomposing bodies - one male and one female - were discovered buried in a concrete-sealed pit within an uncompleted building, owned and used as a shrine, and heinous criminal activities by the fleeing prime suspect (Mr Ezeani)," the police spokesperson said.
"Investigations reveal that the deceased victims were recently murdered and buried in the pit by the suspects for ritual purposes, and the rescued child was moments away from suffering the same fate before the timely intervention."
Mr Ndukwe noted that the Enugu State Government, in line with its laws, had demolished the native doctor's buildings used for "the criminal enterprise."
He said the Commissioner of Police in Enugu State, Bitrus Giwa, has visited the crime scene during which he praised the combined security operatives for their efforts.
Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters
Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox
Mr Giwa directed the Tactical Squads, Investigation and Intelligence Units of the police command in the state to intensify efforts to track down the native doctor and other accomplices.
The commissioner assured that the police in the state would ensure justice in the matter.
