Akwa Ibom State Police Command said it has commenced an investigation into the suspected murder of 45-year-old man, Mr. Udeme Sunday Uko, who was found death while sleeping with his family inside a church in Ukanafun Local Government Area of the state

This was contained in a statement by the command’s Public Relations Officer, DSP Timfon John, in Uyo on Tuesday night.

The PPRO said the preliminary report indicated that the incident occurred on Tuesday, August 5, 2025, at approximately 12:10 a.m., when the victim, his wife, and children were sleeping at a Church in Ikot Oku Usung village

According to her, a gunshot was heard in the church, and later, Mr. Uko was discovered to have been shot on his head, suggesting either a suicide or an attack from enemies.

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The statement reads, “Akwa Ibom State Police command has launched a full-scale investigation into the suspected murder of a 45-year-old man, Mr. Udeme Sunday Uko, who was found in a pool of blood while sleeping with his family inside a church in Ukanafun Local Government Area.

“According to a preliminary report, the incident occurred on Tuesday, August 5, 2025, at approximately 12:10 a.m.

“The victim, his wife, and children were sleeping at a Church in Ikot Oku Usung village when a gunshot was heard in the church, and later Mr. Uko was discovered to have been shot on his head, suggesting either a suicide or an attack from enemies, the investigation will soon reveal.

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“The Command was alerted to the incident by concerned citizens who received the report from the victim’s wife.

“Upon receiving the information, a team of police officers was immediately dispatched to the scene of the crime. During the visit, a locally made pistol was recovered as an exhibit. The corpse of the deceased has since been deposited at the Mortuary for preservation and autopsy.”

While noting that the investigation is ongoing, and further developments will be communicated to the public as they arise, the command assured the public that all necessary resources will be deployed to ensure the perpetrators are brought to justice.

An Enugu North Magistrate Court in Enugu Magisterial District on Wednesday remanded three suspects, including Mr. Obi Levi Obieze, a notorious ritualist accused of abducting a little girl from her parents in Ezeagu Local Government Area, for their alleged involvement in kidnapping and murder.

The suspects, Obieze, Sabastine Emeka Offor, and Odinwamkpa Ejike, were arraigned before His Worship, Osondu Chukwuani, at Court 1, Enugu North, by the Enugu State Police Command on a seven-count charge bordering on conspiracy, kidnapping, and murder.

According to the charge sheet, the suspects allegedly conspired to commit a felony, specifically kidnapping, and are liable to punishment under Section 495 (a) of the Criminal Code, Cap 30, Vol. II, Revised Laws of Enugu State of Nigeria 2004.

The charge sheet also alleges that the suspects kidnapped and used personal violence on several individuals, including a 13-year-old girl, Ukamaka, and a 15-year-old boy, Chima, and murdered Chimaobi Ezi and Joy Miracle Udokamma.

The charge marked MEN/473c/2025 signed by the Prosecutor and Head of the Legal Team, Enugu State Police Command, SP Justice Attah Esq, read, “That you, Obi Levi Obieze, a.k.a Ozo Ezeani/E dey play e dey show (male), Sabastine Emeka Offor (male), Odinwamkpa Ejike (male), and others now at large, between April, 2025 to 26th day of May, 2025, at about 1800hours at along Umuojo Road, Ishiagu Village, Umumba Ndiagu Community in Ezeagu, within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, did conspire among yourselves to commit felony to wit: kidnapping and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 495 (a) of the Criminal Code, Cap 30, Vol. II, Revised Laws of Enugu State of Nigeria 2004.

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“That you, Obi Levi Obieze, a.k.a Ozo Ezeani/E dey play e dey show (male), Sabastine Emeka Offor (male), Odinwamkpa Ejike (male), and others now at large, between the month of April, 2025 to 26th day of May, 2025, at about 1800hours at along Umuojo Road, Ishiagu Village, Umumba Ndiagu Community in Ezeagu, within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, did conspire among yourselves to commit felony to wit: kidnapping and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 495 (a) of the Criminal Code, Cap 30, Vol. II, Revised Laws of Enugu State of Nigeria 2004.

“That you, and others now at large, on the same date, time, place, and in the aforementioned Magisterial District did use personal violence and kidnapped Ukamaka, female, aged 13 years, thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 315 (2) of the Criminal Code (Amendment) Laws of Enugu State of Nigeria, No. 14 of 2010.

“That you, and others now at large, on the same date, time, place, and in the aforementioned Magisterial District did use personal violence and kidnapped Chimaobi Ezi, male, aged 15 years, thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 315 (2) of the Criminal Code (Amendment) Laws of Enugu State of Nigeria, No. 14 of 2010.

“That you, and others now at large, on the same date, time, place, and in the aforementioned Magisterial District did use personal violence and kidnapped Joy Miracle Udokamma, female, aged 31 years, thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 315 (2) of the Criminal Code (Amendment) Laws of Enugu State of Nigeria, No. 14 of 2010.

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“That you, on or before the 21st day of May, 2025, at Umuojo Road, Ishiagu Village, Umumba Ndiagu Community in Ezeagu, within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, did conspire among yourselves to commit felony, to wit: murder and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 494 of the Criminal Code, Cap 30, Vol. II, Revised Laws of Enugu State of Nigeria 2004.

“That you, on the same day, time, place, and in the aforementioned Magisterial District, did unlawfully kill one Chimaobi Ezi, male, aged 15 years and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 274 (1) of the Criminal Code, Cap 30, Vol. II, Revised Laws of Enugu State of Nigeria, 2004.

“That you, on the same day, time, place, and in the aforementioned Magisterial District, did unlawfully kill one Joy Miracle Udokamma, female, aged 31 years and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 274 (1) of the Criminal Code, Cap 30, Vol. II, Revised Laws of Enugu State of Nigeria, 2004.”

According to a statement issued by Governor Peter Mbah’s media office, the defendants pleaded not guilty after the seven-count charge was read to their understanding.

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However, the Magistrate ruled that the case file should be transferred to the Director of Public Prosecutions for review and to file proper charges at the higher court. He said that the Magistrate Courts have no jurisdiction to try such capital offences.

The Magistrate subsequently adjourned the matter to August 20 and ordered that the accused be remanded in prison custody.

Obieze was reportedly arrested at the Badagry-Seme border area while trying to flee Nigeria, following alleged involvement in abduction, kidnapping, and ritual killing that rocked the Umumba Ndiagu community in May this year.
(PUNCH)

The police in Ekiti State on Wednesday recovered the newborn baby boy stolen from a health centre in Ado Ekiti, the state capital, on Monday morning.

The state Commissioner of Police, Mr Joseph Eribo, said the recovery of the baby and arrest of the suspect, Deborah Ayeni, followed diligent investigation by men and officials of the command.

The CP, who spoke in his office while handing over the baby to the parents, said, “In the process of probing the case of the missing baby, we discovered a nylon bag containing new baby items in the health centre.

“We discovered the receipt of a supermarket inside it. When we got to the supermarket, the CCTV showed her face.”

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Eribo, who said that someone also hinted at a lady with a baby suspected not to be hers, said that security agents followed the information, which culminated in the recovery of the baby and the arrest of the suspect.

The 34-year-old suspect, Ayeni, while explaining the situation surrounding her action, said, “I made away with the baby from the health centre because I want a baby of my own”.

The young lady, who said that she had done a marriage engagement with a United Kingdom-based man, said, “I had done an engagement with my husband. He is in the UK. I was pregnant with him, but I lost the pregnancy in March.

“I did not tell him that I lost the pregnancy because he may not marry me again. That was why I decided to find a solution to that by stealing a baby.”

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The suspect, while explaining how she executed the plot, said that she went to the health facility pretending she was pregnant by stuffing herself with cloths.

She said that she decided to be friendly with the parents of the newborn especially that she could communicate with them in Hausa language, adding, “I spent the Sunday night with the family in the health centre and I had the opportunity to take the baby at about 4 am on Monday when the father had gone to observe prayers and the mother went to bathroom”.

The suspect, who denied connivance with any staff of the facility, nor stalking the baby’s mother, said she had been looking for an opportunity to take any newborn baby as her own.

She said, “It was about 10 minutes after I left the facility with the baby that I got a commercial motorcycle to take us. The bike operator had just dropped a trader who went out early for trading activities”.

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Ayeni said that she fed the baby with baby food while in her custody.

The baby’s father, 29-year-old Mustapha Aliyu, who expressed joy on the recovery of the baby, said that the lady was friendly with them and that he even asked her to assist the mother in caring for the baby when he wanted to step out of the hospital.

On how it happened, Aliyu said, “The hot water supply in the health centre ran out. My wife went to the bathroom, and then I went to the mosque to pray.

“Upon returning from prayer, I realised that the lady alongside my baby was nowhere to be found.”