The police in Anambra State have arrested four suspects for the alleged killing of a 23- year-old girl, after reportedly using the victim’s phone to contact her family and demand a ransom of N2 million.

The first suspect in this case was given as Ifechukwu Okechukwu, who is currently in police custody. It is yet to be confirmed if the family made the payment before the victim was killed. However, the girl’s remains were eventually discovered in a shallow grave, where sympathisers assisted in exhuming the body.

In a statement confirming the incident, spokesperson for the Anambra State Police Command, Tochukwu Ikenga, said four suspects have been arrested in connection with the murder. He commended residents for their vigilance, cooperation and timely information that aid security agents in exposing criminal activities and apprehending offenders.

Ikenga said “the first suspect in custody, Ifechukwu Okechukwu, 33, is being investigated for the alleged murder and secret burial of his 23-year old girlfriend. The case was reported following credible information from concerned members of the public, resulting in the suspect’s arrest.

Police operatives attached to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) have taken over the case and commenced detailed inquiries to ascertain the circumstances surrounding the incident and ensure that justice is served.”

In a separate incident, the police said three suspects – Chukwudi Chukwuyere, 40, Mrs Chisom Chukwuyere, 30, and Arum Goodluck, 16 – have also been arrested for various offences. The statement added that their arrest followed the alleged abuse of a 10-year old boy at Odume Layout in Isiowulu.

During interrogation, Mrs Chukwuyere confessed to having used burning plastic to inflict burns on the victim. Meanwhile, Ikenga said the victim has received necessary care and support, while police operatives continue gathering evidence to facilitate prosecution.

In another development, the Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of Police in charge of the Force Intelligence Department (FID), Zachariah Achinyan, has called on the residents of Borno State to assist the force with necessary information to tackle crime, while assuring protection of their identities.

Achinyan spoke during an operational and community engagement in Maiduguri, alongside the Deputy Inspector-General of Police in charge of Research and Planning, Zango Baba. He described such information as critical to modern policing, adding that when members of the public confide in the police, they make the job of securing society more flexible.

“As stakeholders, the police cannot work without you because we need each other,” he said. “It is because of this singular reason that the IG has asked me to meet you all so that we can rub minds, with a view to policing this state.

“Without you, we cannot get the information we need to operate. If you do not say something, the police will not have the necessary guidance to police this environment. This is why we are advocating that you activate community informants in Borno State.”

In a separate interaction with officers and men of the state command, he commended the personnel for their resilience, dedication and sacrifices in the discharge of their duties, particularly within the challenging operational environment of the North-East.

He further acknowledged the command’s contributions to ongoing counter-insurgency and stabilisation efforts and enjoined officers to remain disciplined, professional and proactive in tackling emerging security threats through intelligence gathering and community engagement.