The Enugu State Police Command has arrested a 33-year-old man, Ikechukwu Okoye, and his girlfriend, Juliet Ogbodo, 39, for allegedly kidnapping and murdering a 70-year-old woman, Mrs. Mary Nwatu.
The couple, from Onuorie-Obuno in Akpugo Community, Nkanu West Local Government Area, reportedly buried the victim in a shallow grave after demanding a ransom of N6 million from her children.
The Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Daniel Ndukwe, confirmed the arrest in a statement on Thursday, saying it was carried out by the command’s Anti-Kidnapping Tactical Squad.
Ndukwe revealed that Mrs. Nwatu was reported missing on September 15, 2024. “On October 5, 2024, Ikechukwu Okoye, identified as the principal suspect and a kinsman of the victim, began contacting her children, demanding a ransom of N6 million,” he said.
Okoye confessed to the crime after his arrest. “He admitted to kidnapping Mrs. Nwatu on September 14, 2024, around 8:00 am. He said 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,” Ndukwe stated.
He added that Okoye negotiated the ransom to N3 million but only received N20,000 from the victim’s family to facilitate a phone call where they would hear their mother’s voice.
During the investigation, Okoye’s girlfriend, Ogbodo, confessed to knowing about the crime but claimed she was too afraid to report it.
“The victim’s corpse has been exhumed and deposited at a mortuary for preservation and autopsy,” Ndukwe said.
The police assured that the suspects and any accomplices would face prosecution. “They will be arraigned in court upon the conclusion of investigations,” the statement concluded.
