A shocking case of abduction and murder has emerged in Enugu State, where a 33-year-old man, Ikechukwu Okoye, and his 39-year-old girlfriend, Juliet Ogbodo, have been apprehended by the police. The couple is accused of abducting and killing a 70-year-old woman, Mrs. Mary Nwatu, before burying her in a shallow grave..CLICK TO READ THE FULL NEWS HERE▶▶
According to reports by Punch Metro, the duo hails from Onuorie-Obuno in Akpugo Community, Nkanu West Local Government Area of Enugu State. It is alleged that after committing the heinous act, they attempted to extort the victim’s family, demanding a ransom of N6 million. They were eventually arrested after receiving N20,000 from the family under the guise of arranging a phone conversation with Mrs. Nwatu.
In a statement released on Thursday, the Enugu State Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Daniel Ndukwe, disclosed that the arrests were made by the command’s Anti-Kidnapping Tactical Squad following a detailed investigation.
DSP Ndukwe revealed that Mrs. Nwatu was first reported missing on September 15, 2024. However, the situation took a dark turn weeks later when the police uncovered the grim details of her fate.
“On October 5, 2024, our tactical team, acting on credible intelligence, apprehended Ikechukwu Okoye, who has been identified as the principal suspect in the case. During his interrogation, Okoye admitted to kidnapping Mrs. Nwatu on the morning of September 14, 2024,” the police spokesperson stated.
The suspect reportedly revealed that the victim, who was a relative, had come to his house in search of his mother. Instead of assisting her, Okoye kidnapped Mrs. Nwatu, ultimately killing her and burying her remains in a shallow grave within an uncompleted building located on their family compound.
He added that Okoye also confessed to demanding a ransom from the victim’s children, initially asking for N6 million which was later negotiated to N3 million.
“He eventually received payment of N20,000 which was to allow the children to hear their mother’s voice via the phone before further payments…CLICK TO READ THE FULL NEWS HERE▶▶”
Ndukwe explained that upon interrogation, Okoye’s mistress confessed to being aware of the crime but failed to report it to the police or any other relevant authorities for being afraid.
