The Enugu State Police Command has apprehended a 22-year-old student of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Emmanuel Gambo, for the alleged murder of a young woman, Deborah Sam-Praise Ememem, whose body was discovered in a hotel room in Obukpa, Nsukka.
According to a statement released on Tuesday by the Police Public Relations Officer, SP Daniel Ndukwe, the suspect, a second-year student of Material and Metallurgical Engineering from Kogi State, was arrested following a thorough investigation led by the State Criminal Investigation Department.
“Preliminary investigation revealed that the suspect had checked into the hotel with the deceased around 9:00 p.m. on June 14, 2025,” the police spokesman stated.
“A disagreement reportedly occurred after a second round of intercourse, during which the woman demanded an extra ₦15,000 in addition to the ₦5,000 already paid. The argument escalated, and the suspect ended up strangling her.”
The police said Gambo attempted to cover up the crime by wrapping the victim’s body in a towel and curtain from the hotel room, then hiding it beneath the bed.
The body was only discovered on June 16 when hotel staff investigated a foul smell coming from the room.
The suspect had registered under a false name and provided a fake phone number, making it difficult for authorities to trace him initially. However, after weeks of tracking, detectives located and arrested him at his residence in Nsukka on July 2.
“During interrogation, the suspect admitted to the crime,” Ndukwe added. “We also recovered the deceased’s iPhone from him, along with other items including a bottle of wine, a tablet, and earbuds that had been thrown out the window in a bag.”
Reacting to the arrest, the Commissioner of Police, CP Mamman Bitrus Giwa, praised the detectives involved in the case, describing their work as “commendable and a testament to the Command’s commitment to justice.”
He urged young people to shun criminal acts and remain focused on positive goals. “We advise parents to monitor their children closely and instill the right values in them,” CP Giwa said. “The police will continue to act decisively against anyone who threatens public safety.”
The suspect remains in custody and will be charged upon the completion of the investigation, according to the police.