Operatives of the Anti-Kidnapping Tactical Squad of Enugu State Police Command have arrested a man and his girlfriend for their roles in the kidnapping and killing of a 70-year-old Mrs. Mary Nwatu.
The suspects were also accused of burying the victim in a shallow grave after her murder in September, 2024.
Spokesman of the Enugu State Police Command, Daniel Ndukwe, in a statement named the suspects as 33-year-old man, Ikechukwu Okoye and his girlfriend, Juliet Ogbodo.
Both suspects hail from Onuorie-Obuno in Akpugo Community, Nkanu West local government area of the state.
Ndukwe disclosed that preliminary investigations revealed that the victim was reported missing on September 15, 2024, after all efforts to locate her proved unsuccessful.
He narrated that Okoye, who is the principal suspect and a kinsman of the victim, on October 5, 2024, started contacting the victim’s children, demanding a ransom of N6 million to free their mother.
Ndukwe added that upon his arrest after credible intelligence, Okoye confessed to kidnapping Mrs. Nwatu on September 14, 2024 around 8am.
“He stated that the victim came to their house to look for his mother when he kidnapped, murdered, and buried her in a shallow grave inside an uncompleted building in the compound.
“Ikechukwu Okoye also confessed to demanding a ransom from the victim’s children, initially asking for six million Naira (N6,000,000.00), which was later negotiated to three million Naira (N3,000,000.00).
“He eventually received payment of twenty thousand Naira (N20,000.00), which was for him to allow the children to hear their mother’s voice via the phone before further payments,” the police spokesperson narrated.
The statement further explained that the second suspect, Juliet Ogbodo, who is Okoye’s intimate girlfriend, confessed to being aware of the crime but failed to report it to the police or any other relevant authorities.
“The victim’s remains have been exhumed and deposited at a mortuary for preservation and autopsy.
“The suspects, along with any other individuals found complicit in this heinous crime, will be arraigned in court upon the conclusion of investigations,” he stated.
