One of the suspected ritualists, who allegedly killed Nkemdili Eze at Ede Oballa, Nsukka Local Government Area of Enugu State, Chidera Agbo, said the girl was sacrificed because their deity needed the blood of a virgin to be powerful.

Agbo reportedly made the confessional statement shortly after he was caught by the Neighbourhood personnel in connection with the crime.

The suspect, who was burnt to death with his accomplice, Ifeanyi Onyishi, a.k.a, Aro bi n’agu, by an irate mob, added that Onyishi, who is a native doctor, commissioned him to bring Nkemdili to him for the sacrifice after he recommended her to him.

The Neighbourhood official quoted late Agbo as saying: “Ifeanyi didn’t like the fact that I was being caught most of the time I went for robbery operations.

“He was looking for a way to fortify his deity. One day, he told me that he had brought an abandoned deity named Idenyi, to his shrine.

“I was shocked to hear that from him. I asked him if he knew how to appease the deity. He equally told me that he needed the blood of a virgin to make the deity powerful. That was why he asked me to bring someone to her and I recommended Nkemdili.

“So, there was a masquerade festival in my village. A day before the festival, I searched for Nkemdili but without success.

“However, a day after the festival, I was in the bush smoking Indian hemp when she passed. I quickly notified Ifeanyi and he moved to the location with another suspect who I didn’t recognise.

“When they got there, his friend stopped her, while Ifeanyi covered her mouth and they took her into the bush. I followed them also.

“After the sacrifice, he promised he was going to settle me very well. He said he was going to sell a portion of his land to give me a huge sum of money that would make me not to expose him.”