Anambra Police Arrest Accomplice in Pregnant Nurse’s Mu3der, Recover H8man Parts from Shrine as Manhunt for Prime Suspect Intensifies
The quiet community of Ogbunike in Oyi Local Government Area of Anambra State is reeling from a shocking and grisly murder that has not only raised serious security concerns but also stirred nationwide outrage and grief. The tragic killing of a pregnant nurse—lured, murdered, and mutilated—has triggered a massive police investigation, culminating in the arrest of a female suspect and the discovery of suspected human body parts at a local shrine.
The Anambra State Police Command confirmed the arrest of a 24-year-old woman in connection with the brutal killing. The suspect, who hails from Umueri village in Ogbunike, was apprehended on July 25, 2025, following critical intelligence and assistance provided by members of the community. Her arrest has opened up a web of horrific details that point to a premeditated killing, allegedly for ritual purposes.
The murdered woman, described as a trained nurse who was also pregnant at the time of her death, was reportedly lured to the suspect’s residence under the guise of a medical consultation. It would be her last known movement.
Her dismembered body was later discovered hidden in a soakaway pit within the area—an appalling discovery that sparked widespread panic, anger, and calls for justice.
Following days of intensive interrogation, the arrested female suspect is said to have confessed to being the romantic partner of the man believed to be the prime perpetrator. The man, who hails from the same village and is currently at large, allegedly invited the nurse to his home on the pretense of seeking treatment before orchestrating her murder.
In her confession, the arrested woman disclosed that she was summoned by her partner shortly after the crime to help clean up the bloodstains from the scene. Even more chilling was her admission that the motive behind the murder was ritualistic. She further confessed that the body parts of the deceased were sold to multiple individuals believed to be native doctors within the region.
This revelation triggered swift police action. On July 29, 2025, operatives of the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) raided the shrine of one of the suspected collaborators—a native doctor from Itima Amawa village in Ogbunike. During the operation, investigators recovered several body parts wrapped in nylon bags, believed to be human remains.
According to the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), SP Tochukwu Ikenga, the items are undergoing forensic analysis to ascertain their origin and possible connection to the murder case.
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The Anambra State Police Command has since launched a full-scale manhunt for the prime suspect and other collaborators allegedly involved in this gruesome crime. Investigators believe that a broader network of individuals is connected to the killing and are intensifying efforts to dismantle what appears to be a ritual murder syndicate operating within the state.
The Police Commissioner, CP Ikioye Orutugu fwc MNIPS PhD, has condemned the act in the strongest terms, labeling it “inhumane, criminal, and an affront to public morality and the sanctity of life.” He described the murder as an alarming reflection of the dark undercurrent of ritual crimes in the region.
He assured the public that justice would be pursued with full force and urged anyone with useful information about the suspect or other potential perpetrators to come forward. He also promised that the identities of informants would be protected.
The case has sparked renewed public debate over ritual killings in Southeastern Nigeria. In recent years, several arrests and ongoing investigations have linked various criminal groups to ritual murders involving women, children, and vulnerable individuals.
The discovery of a shrine in the heart of the community, allegedly harboring human body parts, underscores a troubling trend. There are growing concerns that ritual murders—often driven by superstition, financial desperation, or involvement in occult practices—are more prevalent than previously acknowledged.
Residents of Ogbunike and its environs have expressed shock that such an act could occur in their midst. Several community leaders have vowed to cooperate fully with law enforcement and to root out any individuals or groups associated with such atrocities.
Legal experts and human rights advocates are already weighing in on the case. According to legal analysts, the confessed involvement of the suspect, if corroborated by forensic evidence and eyewitness accounts, could lead to charges of conspiracy to commit murder, accessory after the fact, and possible participation in ritual practices prohibited under Nigerian law.
The use of native doctors and ritual practices in the commission of the crime adds a layer of complexity, potentially invoking the provisions of both the Criminal Code Act and the Anti-Ritual Killings Law in Anambra State.
Many are also calling for the state government to set up a special task force to investigate ritual crimes and to initiate a public education campaign to discourage the patronage of “native doctors” who engage in human sacrifice under the guise of spiritual services.
Since the story broke, social media has been awash with messages of outrage, grief, and calls for urgent justice. Civil society groups, medical associations, and women’s organizations have issued statements demanding swift prosecution of those involved and calling for better protection of healthcare professionals and pregnant women.
“This is beyond tragic,” one statement read. “A woman who dedicated her life to healing others was deceived, slaughtered, and desecrated in the most inhumane way. The state must not rest until everyone involved is brought to justice.”
Nigerians from across the country have joined in mourning the loss, describing the victim as a symbol of vulnerability in a society where women are increasingly targeted by criminals.
The Ogbunike community, while still in shock, has begun internal deliberations on how to prevent such a dark occurrence from repeating. Traditional leaders are reportedly considering imposing communal sanctions on families found to be harboring criminals or suspected ritualists.
There are also indications that several community vigilante groups will be reorganized and empowered to carry out patrols and surveillance of suspected shrines and forests where illegal rituals may be taking place.
A community vigilante leader who spoke on condition of anonymity said: “This is not just a crime against the victim. It is a stain on the entire community. We must cleanse our land.”
The case, while deeply tragic, may ultimately serve as a turning point in Anambra State’s effort to confront ritual killings head-on. With pressure mounting on the police and state government, the public will be watching closely to see how justice is served.
The murder of a pregnant nurse in Ogbunike is not just a criminal case—it is a moral reckoning. It touches on issues of security, spirituality, law enforcement, community complicity, and the value of human life in a society struggling with multiple crises. As the manhunt intensifies and the suspect remains at large, the eyes of the nation remain fixed on Anambra.
The coming weeks will be crucial in determining whether the state rises to the challenge or whether this will be just another tragic footnote in Nigeria’s long list of unsolved ritual killings.
ANAMBRA POLICE ARRESTS ONE SUSPECT IN CONNECTION WITH THE MURDER OF A PREGNANT NURSE AND MUTILATION OF HER BODY IN OGBUNIKE, OYI LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA
_Recovers suspected human parts at the native doctor’s shrine linked to the incident, as manhunt intensifies for the prime suspect and other accomplices_
The Anambra State Police Command leveraging on the assistance of the Umueri village, Ogbunike community members on 25th July 2025 arrested one female suspect, Somtochukwu Nwafor aged 24 years. The arrest is in connection with the gruesome murder of a pregnant nurse, whose mutilated body was recently discovered in a soakaway pit at Ogbunike, Oyi Local Government Area of Anambra State.
During interrogation, the suspect confessed to being the girlfriend of the prime suspect one Chiemerie Obika Elobisi from the same village, but currently at large. She stated that she was called by the suspect to clean the blood stains after the victim was murdered. She further revealed how they sell the body parts to different evil native doctors in the area. Also, preliminary information shows that the victim, a trained nurse was lured by the murderer to his house under the guise of seeking medication.
Given the information from the suspect, Operatives of the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) in the early hours of 29th July 2025, burst a shrine of an identified native doctor, Nwafor Chibunna Ofornwatadile from Itima Amawa Village, Ogbunike and recovered suspected human body parts, concealed in cellophane (nylon) bags. However, the Command has launched a manhunt for the prime suspect, along with the suspected receivers and collaborators.
The Commissioner of Police *CP Ikioye Orutugu fwc MNIPS PhD*, has strongly condemned the heinous act, describing it as “inhumane, criminal, and an affront to public morality and the sanctity of life. The *CP* encourages anyone with useful information to assist the Police in the ongoing investigation to come forward and assured that the identity of such informants would be adequately protected.
*SP Tochukwu Ikenga*
Police Public Relations Officer
Anambra State Police Command, Awka