By Sunday Apah
The police in Delta State have arrested a 20-year-old herbalist, Mr. Amechi Okwuokenye, and his stepbrother, Smart Okwuokenye, aged 26, over the murder of Friday Liberty and an Okada rider identified as Isioma Ugbeje in Owa-Alidima, Ika North East Local Government Area of the state.
The Police Public Relations Officer, SP Bright Edafe, who made this known in a statement on Sunday, described it as a case of the hunter becoming the hunted.
He explained in the press statement that on the 30th of September 2025, Mr. Friday Liberty, aged 22, visited his herbalist, whom he had known for some time, but this time he never returned.
According to the statement, “The family, who initially didn’t know what happened to their brother, started looking for him.”
“The girlfriend of the deceased then informed the family that she overheard a conversation about Friday Liberty and a certain herbalist and advised them to reach out to him.”
“The family contacted the herbalist, who denied seeing him but promised to perform some spiritual incantations so their brother could return alive.”
“Having spent money on the herbalist without any results, they then reported the matter to the Agbor Area Command via a petition on the 14th of October 2025.”
“And this decision proved to be the turning point in the case as the area command detectives embarked on an intelligence-led investigation.”
“During the course of the investigation, the detectives uncovered the last person whom Friday Liberty contacted and found out it was the same herbalist who denied knowing his whereabouts.”
“Surveillance was laid around his shrine at Owa-Alidima in Ika North East LGA for days until he was arrested on the 23rd of October 2025 in his shrine while hiding inside a refrigerator.”
“Upon the arrest of herbalist Amechi Okwuokenye, aged 20, he confessed that both he and his brother Smart Okwuokenye, aged 26, kidnapped Friday Liberty and the motorcycle rider, identified as Isioma Ugbeje, who had carried him to the shrine.”
“They further stated that Friday Liberty had been his long-time customer who frequently visited him to hypnotize clients so they would give him money easily (in his words, ‘to tie clients’).”
“The herbalist said his elder brother approached him saying he needed money and advised him to lure any of his clients to kidnap for ransom, with Liberty Friday being the unfortunate choice.”
“They kidnapped him and the Okada rider and demanded a ransom of ten million naira (#10,000 of Friday Liberty and an Okada rider, identified as Isioma Ugbeje in Owa-Alidima, Okay North East Local Government Area of the state.
The Police Public Relations Officer, SP Bright Edafe who made this known in a statement on Sunday, described it as a case of the hunter becoming the hunted.
He explained in the press statement that on the 30th of September 2025, Mr. Friday Liberty, aged 22 years old, visited his herbalist, whom he had known for some time now, but this time, he never returned.
According to the statement, “The family, who initially didn’t know what happened to their brother, started looking for him.
“The girlfriend of the deceased then informed the family that she heard a conversation about the said Friday liberty and a certain herbalist, and advised that they should reach out to the said herbalist.
“The family contacted the herbalist, who denied seeing him but promised to do some spiritual incantations so their brother could return alive.
“Having spent money on the herbalist, and the result was not forthcoming, they then reported the matter at the Agbor Area command via a petition on 14th October 2025.
“And this decision proved to be the turning point in the case as the area command detectives embarked on an intelligence-led investigation.
“During the course of the investigation, the detectives uncovered the last person whom Friday Liberty contacted, and found out it was the same herbalist who denied knowing his whereabouts.
“Surveillance was laid around his shrine at Owa-Alidima in Ika North East LGA, for days, until he was arrested on 23rd October 2025, in his shrine while hiding inside a refrigerator.
“Upon arrest of the herbalist Amechi Okwuokenye, aged 20 years, he confessed that both he and his brother Smart Okwuokenye, aged 26years, kidnapped the victim liberty Friday and the motorcycle rider identified as Isioma Ugbeje, who carried him to the shrine.
“They further stated that Friday Liberty has been his long-time customer who frequently visits him to hypnotise clients so they could give him money easily( in his words, ‘to tie clients ‘).
“The herbalist said his elder brother approached him that he needed money and advised him to lure any of his clients so they could kidnap him and ask for ransom, and the unlucky person they could lure was Liberty Friday.
“They kidnapped him and the Okada Rider and demanded a ransom of Ten Million Niara (#10,000,000).
“When they noticed that the plan was not working, they murdered him and the motorcycle rider and dumped their bodies in a soakaway pit by the shrine.
“Suspects are in custody, and the remains of the victims have been evacuated and deposited at the mortuary for autopsy.
The commissioner of Police, Delta State, CP Olufemi Abaniwonda assures the public that the command will ensure that justice is served in this case”, it added.
