The Anambra State Police Command has arrested a 24-year-old woman, Somtochukwu Nwafor, in connection with the gruesome murder and dismemberment of a pregnant nurse in Ogbunike, Oyi Local Government Area of the state.
According to a statement issued on Tuesday by the command’s spokesperson, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, the lifeless body of the victim was found dumped in a soakaway, sparking a major investigation into what authorities now suspect is a case of ritual killing.
During interrogation, the arrested suspect confessed to being the girlfriend of the alleged mastermind, Chiemerie Obika Elobisi, who is currently on the run. She further revealed that the victim was lured under the guise of receiving medical treatment, only to be murdered and her body parts harvested for sale to native doctors in the area.
Acting on her confession, operatives from the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) raided the shrine of one such native doctor, identified as Nwafor Ofornwatadile of Itima Amawa Village in Ogbunike. Several items believed to be human body parts were recovered, wrapped in cellophane bags.
“The command is currently intensifying efforts to apprehend the prime suspect and other accomplices involved in this barbaric act,” Ikenga said.
Reacting to the incident, the Commissioner of Police in the state, CP Ikioye Orutugu, condemned the killing as “inhumane, criminal, and an affront to public morality and the sanctity of life.” He called on members of the public to support the investigation with credible information, assuring that informants would be protected.
The tragic incident has sparked outrage across the state, with residents calling for swift justice for the victim and tougher measures against ritual-related crimes.
