Man, girlfriend arrested for kidnapping, murder of 70-year-old woman in Enugu

From Jude Chinedu, Enugu

The Enugu State Police Command has arrested one Ikechukwu Okoye and his girlfriend, Julieth Ogbodo, for allegedly kidnapping and murdering a 70-year-old woman, Mary Nwatu.

The suspects who are both residents of Onuorie-Obuno in Akpugo Community, Nkanu West Local Government Area of the state, were said to have killed the victim and buried her in a shallow grave before demanding a ransom of N6 million from her children.

They were arrested after they receieved N20,000 from the family to facilitate a phone call with the victim.

In a statement, the Police Spokesman in Enugu, Daniel Ndukwe, disclosed that the arrest was carried out by the command’s Anti-Kidnapping Tactical Squad following credible intelligence.

According to Ndukwe, preliminary investigations revealed that Nwatu was reported missing on September 15, 2024.

“On October 5, 2024, the principal suspect, Ikechukwu Okoye, who is also a kinsman of the victim, contacted her children, demanding a ransom of N6 million,” Ndukwe stated.

Okoye was subsequently arrested and reportedly confessed to the crime, admitting that he abducted Nwatu on September 14, 2024, at about 8 am when she came to their house to look for his mother.

He said that, “Upon his arrest, which followed credible intelligence reports, Okoye confessed to kidnapping Mrs. Nwatu on September 14, 2024, around 8:00 a.m. 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.

“On her part, 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.”