LAGOS – The police have arrested four individuals in relation to the reported horrific murder of a female student at the Federal University Lokoja (FUL).
The 17-year-old, a first-year student in the Biology Department at Federal University Lokoja, was reportedly abducted and murdered by a 21-year-old male suspect.
SP Williams Ovye-Aya, the Police Public Relations Officer, disclosed this information during a press briefing in Lokoja.
Ovye-Aya mentioned that the primary suspect purportedly collaborated with three acquaintances to carry out the offense.
“The officers from the Nigeria Police Force, stationed at the State Intelligence Department (SID), Kogi Command, apprehended Jeremiah Paul-Awe from Chikun Local Government Area of Kaduna State on Sept. 11.
“Paul-Awe was identified as the individual behind the abduction and killing of the victim.
“A report was lodged by Stephen Oluwoyo, indicating his daughter’s disappearance and his inability to contact her.
“Mr. Oluwoyo also received a ransom demand from an unidentified number after his daughter’s abduction.
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“Following actionable intelligence and support from the Technical Intelligence Unit (TIU) at the Force Headquarters, the operatives swiftly tracked down and detained the suspect, Paul Awe, on Sept. 11 in connection to the incident.
“During questioning, the suspect admitted to kidnapping and murdering the victim on Sept. 4 around 2030hrs.”
“He disfigured her body by extracting her eyes, lungs, liver, tongue, intestines, and other organs, then left the body in the wilderness.
“The suspect also revealed that right after the murder, he phoned the father and demanded a ransom to fulfill the ritual requirements advised by a traditional healer he found on TikTok.
“Unaware of his daughter’s demise, the deceased’s father sent N400,000 as ransom to the suspect for her release,” he stated.
Ovye-Aya mentioned that subsequent to Paul-Awe’s apprehension on Sept. 11, he guided the team of officers to the location where the body was discovered, removed, and taken to the Federal Teaching Hospital Lokoja mortuary for examination.
The statement indicated that additional inquiry resulted in the apprehension of the three other individuals.
The spokesperson mentioned that the main suspect revealed that two of the three individuals were his companions who assisted him in executing the act.
Ovye-Aya mentioned that the quartet of suspects would face charges in court after the Police conclude their investigation.
