The Anambra State Police Command has apprehended Obinna Anene, the alleged principal suspect in the killing of a 74-year-old woman in Abagana Community.
This information was disclosed by the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), SP Tochukwu Ikenga, in a statement released in Awka and shared with the media on Tuesday.
Ikenga confirmed that Anene, 33, a resident of the community, fled the area following the incident.
“He was identified as the principal suspect in the case involving the burning and murder of 74-year-old Alice Anene in Abagana on January 27,” he said.
According to reports from the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), the suspect allegedly conspired with three other individuals to set the woman, who was in a wheelchair, on fire.
The motive behind the crime was believed to be to eliminate her in order to seize the family’s land.
Further details reveal that after killing the woman, the suspects allegedly cleaned the scene, procured a coffin, and discreetly buried her remains in an attempt to conceal their crime.
However, their plot was foiled when some members of the community became aware of their actions and informed the police, leading to the suspects’ detention.
Ikenga added that the principal suspect had been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department, specifically to the Homicide Section in Awka, for further questioning.
Initially, three individuals — Uzochukwu Okeke, Fidel Anayo, and Ikenna Anene — were detained in connection with the crime.
