Police Arrest Four Suspects, for Allegedly Burning 74-Year-Old Woman Alive

A shocking incident has unfolded in Anambra State, where four suspects, including a 21-year-old woman, have been arrested for allegedly setting ablaze a 74-year-old woman in a wheelchair. The incident occurred at Abagana in Njikoka Local Government Area of Anambra State.

According to the spokesman for the Anambra State Police Command, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, the suspects were arrested on Sunday after the police operatives recovered the burnt remains of the victim and her wheelchair, as well as a casket. Ikenga revealed that the suspects had planned to bury the victim before the intervention of the security operatives.

Ikenga stated, “The Anambra State Police operatives serving at the Abagana Divisional Police Headquarters on 26/1/2024 by 9 am arrested four suspects, including a 21-year-old lady Chinenye Ekwenugo from Ifitedunu, over the burning of a 74-year-old woman in a wheelchair at Abagana.”

The suspects, including Uzochukwu Okeke, Fidel Anayo, and Ikenna Anene, all from Abagana, are currently being held by the police. Chinenye Ekwenugo, one of the suspects, confessed to the crime, stating that her boyfriend, Ifeanyi Igwe, who is currently at large, and three others set the victim ablaze and got a casket to bury her before the intervention of the security operatives.

Ikenga added, “During interrogation by the police operatives, the suspect, Chinenye, confessed that her boyfriend, Ifeanyi Igwe, who is currently at large and three others set the victim ablaze and got a casket to bury her before the intervention of the security operatives.”

The Commissioner of Police, CP Nnaghe Obono Itam, has ordered the immediate transfer of the case to the Homicide Section of the State Criminal Investigation Department of the Command for a comprehensive investigation. Itam appealed for calm and assured that further developments would be communicated.

In a related development, operatives of the Anti-Cult Unit of the Anambra State Police Command arrested one Maduka Okoye, aged 25, of Abagana, for his alleged involvement in a cult clash. Ikenga stated that the suspect confessed to being a member of the “Baggars Confraternity” and revealed that he was attacked by members of a rival cult group.

Ikenga said, “The suspect Maduka Okoye, confessed to being a member of ‘Baggars Confraternity’ and said he was in a beer parlour drinking with his friend in the area when they came under attack by members of the rival cult group identified as Axe Men Confraternity.”