The police in Bayelsa State have arrested one Lucky Okubo, aged 17, for the alleged murder of a 14-year-old girl, Shallon Ebitare, in an unnamed hotel.

In a statement issued by the Police Public Relations Officer, Musa Mohammed, on Friday, the suspect was nabbed by officers attached to the Ekeki division, while the Commissioner of Police, Alonyenu Idu, has ordered a discreet investigation into the incident.

The police said the suspect claimed to have taken the teenage girl to the hotel intending to have sexual intercourse with her.

“Acting on credible intelligence, operatives of the Bayelsa State Police Command apprehended a suspect in connection with the suspected murder of one Shallon Ebitare, a 14-year-old resident of Akaibiri community in the Yenagoa Local Government Area.

“The suspect, one Lucky Okubo, ‘m’, aged 17, who was arrested by police operatives attached to the Ekeki Divisional Police Headquarters, upon interrogation, said he took the deceased to a hotel, where he intended to have carnal knowledge with her,” the statement read.

“The suspect claimed that the deceased went to the bathroom to take her bath but fell, in which she sustained injuries. Sequel to this, he invited the hotel manager who assisted in taking the deceased to the FMC, Yenagoa, where she was confirmed dead by a medical doctor on duty.

“Meanwhile, the suspect is in custody at the SCID, Yenagoa, while the investigation continues with a view to ascertaining the cause of death.

“The Commissioner of Police, Bayelsa State Command, CP Alonyenu Francis Idu, has ordered a discreet investigation into the circumstances leading to the death of the 14-years-old girl in a hotel in Yenagoa,” it added.