Nemesis caught up with the suspect at the Mile 3 Slaughter in Diobu area of the Rivers State capital where he was seen catching vultures and consequently arrested following a tip-off by some traders.
Checks by Daily Sun revealed that six vultures were found in his bag when he was arrested.
The suspect, who told policemen that he started the filthy trade three months ago, moved into Port Harcourt from Ohafia in neighbouring Abia State on completion of his apprenticeship under one Maxwell, who runs a similar business near the Army Barracks in Ohafia and Obinze in Imo State.
He said that he re-located to Port Harcourt because his former boss (Maxwell) had told him that there were more vultures there with the attendant potential of bigger catches and higher profit.
Kalu, who said he was an indigene of Ndioji in Arochukwu Local Government Area of Abia State, shocked policemen at the Mile-3 Police Station when he narrated how he catches the vultures by rubbing snuff on fresh meat to make the carcass-eating ugly birds dizzy and too weak to fly away after eating the meat.
He said that thereafter, he would dress the slain vultures and inject a chemical into them to instantly clear their offensive peculiar odour. Although he initially told his interrogators that he sold the dressed vultures strictly to native doctors who use them for rituals, he could neither name such clients nor explain why he had to dress and inject the vultures with chemicals before selling them.
On how he had been able to evade arrest before now, the suspect said people believed him each time he sold the dummy that the vultures were for native doctors.
According to him, a dressed vulture goes for between N500 and N1,000 depending on size and location of the transaction. Police spokesperson in the State, Mrs. Rita Inoma-Abbey (SP), could not be reached for comments as at Press time. However, Police sources told Daily Sun that investigation was in progress.
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