The Imo State Police Command has confirmed that the boyfriend of murdered nursing student, Wendy Achumba, remains in custody as investigations into the circumstances surrounding her death continue.
The police had earlier arrested two suspects, identified as Onyema Okonkwo and Emmanuel Onyekachi, in connection with the killing of the 21-year-old student of Our Lady of Mercy Nursing School, Umulogho, in Obowo Local Government Area of Imo State.
Speaking on the development on Wednesday, the Police Public Relations Officer in the state, DSP Henry Okoye, said the victim’s boyfriend would remain in detention pending the outcome of forensic and other investigative procedures being carried out by the command.
According to him, individuals found not to be linked to the crime would be released once investigations are concluded.
Okoye disclosed that evidence recovered from the crime scene had been forwarded for laboratory examination, while authorities awaited the outcome of fingerprint and forensic analyses.
He stated that the police would not hesitate to free any suspect cleared by investigators.
Sources familiar with the matter revealed that the victim’s boyfriend was initially the person who reported the incident to the police before he was later detained during the early phase of the investigation.
Until her death last Thursday, Achumba was said to be undergoing post-basic midwifery training at the nursing school in Obowo.
The police spokesperson further revealed that one of the arrested suspects, Okonkwo, allegedly confessed to raping and killing the student.
According to Okoye, the suspect also implicated Onyekachi, alleging that both men assaulted the victim before killing her after she reportedly recognised them.
The spokesperson added that the suspects had since been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department for further investigation and possible prosecution.
Providing details of the operation, Okoye explained that operatives of the Obowo Divisional Police Headquarters, working alongside community stakeholders, arrested the suspects following intelligence-led investigations.
He said the victim’s lifeless body was discovered in her off-campus residence located at Umuadara, Umulogho, in Obowo LGA.
Police further disclosed that the deceased was the only occupant of the residence, as the property owner resides abroad, while two neighbouring nursing students were reportedly away on hospital training outside the area at the time of the incident.
However, another source familiar with the investigation claimed that after arriving at the Imo State Police Command headquarters, Okonkwo allegedly altered his earlier statement, insisting that he acted alone and requesting the release of Onyekachi.
The source added that the development may have contributed to the continued detention of the victim’s boyfriend as investigators intensify efforts to unravel the circumstances surrounding the killing.