Port Harcourt ‘serial killer’: What I told a pastor about my actions

Gracious West, the alleged serial killer in Port Harcourt, Rivers state, says he cries and regrets his actions anytime it happens.

On Thursday, the state police command arrested West while en route Uyo from Port Harcourt.

About eight young women have been murdered in different hotels in the state in the past two months.

The bodies of these ladies were said to have been found in similar conditions – strangled and with a white piece of cloth tied around their necks.

Speaking while being paraded on Friday, the suspect said he visited a church for help because he did know what is wrong with him.

“After doing it, I will start regretting and crying why I did it,” he said.

“I told a pastor that I kill girls in hotels that if he has a way of helping me because I don’t know what is wrong with me. So, the pastor told me that they have a crusade programme that Friday. He said he will take me to see the general overseer. We went for the crusade but I couldn’t see the general overseer.”

He confessed killing five girls in Port Harcourt; one in Owerri, Imo state capital, and another in Lagos.

“I am the one doing it. Whenever it comes on me, that is when I will do it. I will buy a kitchen knife and we will go to a hotel. After eating and making love, we sleep. After some time, I will wake the girl up, unknown to her. I will hold her on her neck and use the knife,” he said.

“I started the killing in Lagos. I took N52,000 from the bank account of the first girl I killed in Lagos. Thereafter, I went to Port Harcourt, then to Owerri and later returned to Port Harcourt.

“After I killed a girl, I collected her phone, and sold the phone at Waterlines and MTN office (areas in Port Harcourt). I met the last girl at a club in Port Harcourt.”

The suspect said he usually picked his victims from clubs and drinking bars.

David-West said before strangulating his victims, they usually pleaded for their lives by offering him money as well as details of their bank accounts.

He said after obtaining the victim’s ATM card and PIN and other belongings, he still killed them.

“So, I collect their ATM PIN, and after dawn, I go to ATM to withdraw money from the account. I usually use the money to get other girls,” he said.

“I don’t know what is making me to kill people. Immediately the urge comes, I kill, and after killing, I regret and feel sober. But later, I will still go and kill again.”