The Anambra State Police Command has arrested two suspects in connection with the gruesome murder of a 33-year-old woman whose disappearance sparked concern in Oraifite, Ekwusigo Local Government Area of the state.
The suspects, identified as Thankgod Ikechukwu Ikwugwara, 26, and Makuochukwu Uzoigwe, 20, were arrested after a painstaking three-month investigation by operatives of the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), Awka.
Confirming the development on Wednesday, the Police Public Relations Officer, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, said the case originated on March 13, 2026, when the victim’s mother reported her missing at the Oraifite Divisional Police Headquarters.
According to him, the following day, the lifeless body of an unidentified woman was discovered inside a culvert near Jesus Bus Stop, Oraifite. The deceased was later identified by her father as the missing woman.
Ikenga said the matter was transferred to the SCID for thorough investigation, adding that detectives, through intelligence-led operations and digital forensic analysis, eventually tracked and arrested the suspects on June 6, 2026.
He disclosed that the principal suspect, Ikwugwara, confessed to the crime during interrogation, claiming he had been in a relationship with the deceased for about three years and was unaware that she was married.
The suspect allegedly told investigators that after a disagreement with the deceased’s husband, he developed a strange illness that affected his eyesight and subsequently nursed resentment against the victim.
“On March 13, 2026, he lured the deceased to his residence under the guise of seeking assistance because of his illness. On arrival, he and the second suspect attacked her with a machete, leading to her death,” the police spokesman stated.
He added that the suspects later dumped the victim’s body in a culvert near Jesus Bus Stop in the early hours of March 14.
The police said both suspects had confessed to their involvement and would be charged to court upon the conclusion of investigations.
Meanwhile, the Commissioner of Police, Anambra State Command, CP Ikioye Orutugu, commended the detectives for their resilience and professionalism in unravelling the case.
He reaffirmed the command’s commitment to ensuring justice for victims of crime and sustaining efforts to rid the state of criminal elements.
