Operatives of the Enugu State Police Command have arrested a 30-year-old man, Okpara Emmanuel, over the alleged murder of his girlfriend, simply identified as Chinyere, following an argument over HIV status.
Emmanuel was apprehended at his residence at Olympic Layout, One-Day, Enugu, according to a statement issued on Tuesday by the Command’s spokesperson, Daniel Ndukwe, at the State Headquarters GRA, Enugu.
During preliminary interrogation, Emmanuel confessed to killing the deceased after an argument over who infected the other with the Human Immunodeficiency Virus. He later said that during the argument, he hit her with a pestle, which eventually led to her death.
According to the police, the suspect allegedly killed the victim on September 19, 2026, wrapped her remains in nylon and locked them inside the toilet of his apartment.
The offensive odour of the decomposing body subsequently attracted neighbours, who forced the door open and apprehended him before the arrival of the police. The putrefying remains were evacuated to a mortuary for preservation and autopsy, while efforts are ongoing to trace and notify her relatives.
“On September 21, 2026, at about 6:30 pm, following information that he had allegedly murdered his girlfriend. Preliminary investigation indicates that the suspect allegedly killed the victim on September 19, wrapped her remains in nylon and locked them inside the toilet of his apartment,” the statement partly read.
“During preliminary interrogation, the suspect confessed to the crime, stating that the incident followed an argument between him and the deceased over allegations of who infected the other with Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV). He further stated that, during the argument, he struck the deceased on the head with a pestle, resulting in her death, and subsequently wrapped and dumped her remains inside the toilet,” the police added.
Ndukwe noted that the suspect was “rescued from an angry mob and re-arrested by police operatives attached to Awkunanaw Division.”
The State Commissioner of Police, Mamman Giwa, has ordered the State Criminal Investigation Department to investigate the circumstances of the incident and “ensure the suspect is arraigned in court upon conclusion of investigations.”
The police boss warned members of the public, “particularly unsuspecting young women, to inform trusted relatives or friends of their movements and exercise caution about whom they visit or spend time with.”
