The Delta State Police Command has confirmed the murder of a 43-year-old man, Ekene Ekwenuya, by suspected assassins in Ogwashi-Uku, Aniocha South Local Government Area of the state.
Spokesperson of the command, DSP Bright Edafe, who confirmed the incident on Monday, November 7, 2022, in Asaba said that one suspect involved in the gruesome killing had been arrested.
“The police got information that the victim was killed with cutlass. They cut him in the head, leading to his death. However, last Saturday, the police apprehended one of the suspects and he is currently helping the police with investigation,” the PPRO said.
It was gathered that the victim was ambushed last Tuesday when he went to his building site along Ubulu-Unor road, Ogwashi-Uku. A young man in the community who gave his name simply as Chukwudi, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that the killers overpowered Mr Ekene, dealt him several machete cuts on his head and then buried his corpse in a shallow grave after killing him.
“This incident happened over six days now. Ekene went to his building site with his motorbike last Tuesday and never returned home. The family and friends searched everywhere for him but to no avail, a situation that made them to make a formal report to the police,”
“But last Saturday morning, some friends of the victim in the community spotted a youth from the community riding Ekene’s motorbike and confronted him over the whereabouts of Ekene. When the suspect could not give a definite answer, they held him, beat him up and called in the community vigilantes who subsequently handed the suspect to the police,” Mr Chukwudi said.
The suspect later confessed to the crime before the police and mentioned three other accomplices who are currently on the run. He narrated how Ekene was killed and buried in a shallow grave in the bush, near his building site.
It was further gathered that the suspect led the police and Ogwashi-Uku vigilantes to where the victim was buried and the corpse was exhumed and taken to the morgue.