Police in Anambra State have arrested a 24-year-old woman, Somtochukwu Nwafor, in connection with the brutal murder and dismemberment of a pregnant nurse in Ogbunike, Oyi Local Government Area.
According to the state police command, the arrest was made on July 25 with the help of residents of Umueri village, following the discovery of the victim’s mutilated remains dumped in a soakaway pit—an incident that triggered widespread fear and condemnation.
Police spokesperson SP Tochukwu Ikenga, in a statement issued Wednesday, revealed that the suspect confessed to being the girlfriend of the primary suspect, Chiemerie Elobisi, who is currently on the run.
Nwafor admitted she was called after the killing to clean up the crime scene and disclosed that the victim’s body parts were sold to native doctors allegedly involved in ritual practices.
“She stated that she assisted in cleaning bloodstains and explained how they sold the dismembered parts to various native doctors in the region,” the statement read.
Based on her confession, operatives from the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) raided a shrine belonging to one of the alleged buyers, identified as Nwafor Chibunna Ofornwatadile of Itima Amawa village, Ogbunike.
Human body parts, wrapped in nylon bags, were reportedly recovered during the operation on July 29.
Investigations further revealed that the nurse had been lured to Elobisi’s residence under the guise of seeking medical help before being murdered.
Describing the act as “inhumane, criminal, and an affront to public morality and the sanctity of life,” the Commissioner of Police, CP Ikioye Orutugu, assured the public that efforts were ongoing to apprehend the fleeing suspect and all those connected to the crime.
The police have urged anyone with useful information to come forward, pledging full protection for informants.