Police in Enugu State have arrested a 30-year-old man for allegedly murdering his neighbor’s four-year-old daughter while she was sleeping.
The arrest was confirmed in a statement released by the Enugu State Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Daniel Ndukwe, on Tuesday.
According to the statement, the incident occurred on August 18 when officers from the Anti-Cultism Tactical Squad responded to a distress call from a compound on Orba Road in Nsukka Local Government Area. Upon arrival, they discovered the lifeless body of the young girl, who was later confirmed dead at the hospital. Her remains have since been placed in the mortuary.
The suspect was apprehended at the scene, where police recovered the knife used in the crime, along with quantities of suspected hemp and an object believed to be a charm.
Preliminary investigations revealed that the suspect, a native of Umuagu-Ozalla in Nkanu West Local Government Area of Enugu State, lived in the same compound as the victim’s family. The suspect allegedly attempted to attack other neighbors before entering the victim’s apartment, where he found the child asleep and fatally slit her throat. The child’s mother had reportedly taken the other children to safety before returning for her daughter.
The suspect confessed to the crime, claiming he acted alone but was under the influence of hemp, methamphetamine (locally known as “Mkpuru-mmiri”), and an alcoholic drink called Action Bitters.
In addition to the murder, the suspect also admitted to being a member of the Vikings Confraternity. He disclosed that in 2022, while residing in Jos, Plateau State, he was involved in a cult clash where he killed a member of a rival group.
DSP Ndukwe stated that the suspect will be arraigned and prosecuted once investigations are complete.
The Enugu State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Kanayo Uzuegbu, condemned the act, describing it as barbaric and unthinkable. He extended his condolences to the victim’s family and assured them that the police would do everything possible to ensure justice is served.
Commissioner Uzuegbu has directed the Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of the State Criminal Investigation Department to expedite the investigation and ensure the case is prosecuted swiftly. He also urged the public to be vigilant and aware of their neighbors’ behavior to prevent such senseless incidents in the future.
