The Anambra State Police Command has arrested two residents of Oraifite in Ekwusigo Local Government Area over the alleged murder of a 33-year-old woman reported missing in March.
The suspects, 26-year-old Thankgod Ikwugwara and 20-year-old Akuochukwu Uzoigwe, were arrested after months of investigation into the woman’s disappearance and eventual death.
Police spokesperson, Tochukwu Ikenga, said in a statement on Wednesday that the victim’s mother had earlier reported her missing at the Oraifite Divisional Police Headquarters on March 13, 2026.
He said the case took a tragic turn a day after the report when the lifeless body of an unidentified woman was found inside a culvert near Jesus Bus Stop in Oraifite.
“The deceased’s father later identified the body as that of his missing daughter, prompting the transfer of the case to the State Criminal Investigation Department, Awka, for detailed investigation,” Ikenga said.
According to him, detectives tracked and arrested the suspects on June 6 through intelligence gathering and digital forensic analysis.
He explained that during interrogation, the principal suspect, Ikwugwara, confessed to the crime, claiming he had been in a relationship with the deceased for about three years and was unaware that she was married.
The suspect further alleged that after a disagreement involving her husband, he developed a strange illness that affected his sight, adding that he later became resentful and plotted the attack.
Police said Ikwugwara admitted that he lured the victim to his residence on March 13 under the guise of seeking assistance due to his health condition.
“Upon her arrival, he and the second suspect allegedly attacked her with a machete, leading to her death. The body was later dumped in a culvert near Jesus Bus Stop, Oraifite, in the early hours of the following day,” the statement added.
The command said both suspects had confessed and would be charged to court upon completion of investigations.
Commenting on the development, the Commissioner of Police, Ikioye Orutugu, commended detectives for unraveling the case and reaffirmed the command’s commitment to ensuring justice and public safety.