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Man kills 4-year-old neighbour’s daughter in Enugu, blames Mkpuru-mmiri

From Jude Chinedu, Enugu

The Enugu  State Police command has arrested a  30-year-old man for the alleged murder of his  neighbour’s  four- year-old daughter.

The suspect was arrested by the Nsukka sector of the command’s  Anti-Cultism Tactical Squad.

The suspect, Nweke Chukwuemeka, 30, was  alleged to have murdered the  female child, Zinachukwu Ugwu, while she was sleeping.

The child was taken to the hospital, but she was  confirmed dead by the doctor on duty and her body was deposited in the mortuary.

Enugu Police Public Relations Officer(PPRO) Daniel Ndukwe,in a statement,said the knife used by the suspect to commit the crime, quantities of weeds suspected to be Indian hemp, and an object suspected to be a charm were recovered from him.

According to him:”Preliminary investigation revealed that the suspect hails from Umuagu-Ozalla in Nkanu West Local Government Area of the state, but resides in the said compound with the child’s parents and others.

“He initially attempted to attack other neighbours who resisted him and escaped before going into the victim’s apartment, where he saw the helpless child sleeping, and used the knife to cut  her throat.

“This was after the mother of the child had run out to take the other of her children to safety before coming back for the victim.

“The suspect confessed to the crime, claiming that he acted alone,but under the influence of Indian hemp, methamphetamine (locally known as “Mkpuru-mmiri”), and Action bitters alcoholic drink he consumed earlier.

“He also confessed to being a member of the Vikings confraternity and that in 2022, while residing in Jos, Plateau State, he was involved in a cult clash during which he murdered a male member of the rival cult group.The suspect will be arraigned and prosecuted once investigations are concluded”.

Meanwhile, the State Commissioner of Police, Kanayo Uzuegbu, who described the act as barbaric and unthinkable, commiserated with the victim’s parents, siblings, and friends, assuring that everything possible would be done to secure justice for the innocent child.

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