Operatives from the Anti-Kidnapping Tactical Squad of the Enugu State Police Command have apprehended a man and his girlfriend in connection with the kidnapping and subsequent murder of a 70-year-old woman, Mrs. Mary Nwatu.
The suspects, identified as 33-year-old Ikechukwu Okoye and his girlfriend, Juliet Ogbodo, are accused of killing Mrs. Nwatu in September 2024 and burying her in a shallow grave. Both suspects are residents of Onuorie-Obuno, Akpugo Community, in the Nkanu West Local Government Area of Enugu State.
According to the Enugu State Police Command’s spokesperson, Daniel Ndukwe, preliminary investigations revealed that the elderly woman was reported missing on September 15, 2024, after all efforts to trace her whereabouts failed.
Ndukwe further disclosed that Okoye, the primary suspect and a kinsman of the victim, began making contact with the victim’s children on October 5, 2024, demanding a ransom of N6 million for their mother’s release.
“Upon his arrest, following credible intelligence, Okoye admitted to kidnapping Mrs. Nwatu on September 14, 2024, around 8 am. He explained that the victim had come to their house to look for his mother when he seized her, murdered her, and buried her in a shallow grave inside an uncompleted building in the compound,” Ndukwe stated.
The police spokesperson added that Okoye initially demanded N6 million in ransom, which was later reduced to N3 million, and he eventually received a payment of N20,000. The money was intended to allow the victim’s children to hear their mother’s voice over the phone before further payments.
Juliet Ogbodo, Okoye’s girlfriend, was also arrested and confessed to being aware of the crime but did not report it to the authorities. “She admitted to knowing about the kidnapping and murder but failed to take any action,” Ndukwe revealed.
The remains of Mrs. Nwatu have since been exhumed and are now at the mortuary for preservation and an autopsy.
The police have assured that both suspects, along with anyone else found to be involved in this heinous crime, will face legal consequences, with court arraignment pending the completion of the ongoing investigation.
