A 30-year-old man, Okpara Chibuike Emmanuel, has allegedly confessed to killing his 27-year-old girlfriend, Chinyere Rosemary Ugwu, during an argument at his residence in Enugu.
Chinyere, a Medical Laboratory Science graduate of the Institute of Management and Technology, Enugu, had reportedly recently completed her National Youth Service Corps programme before her death.
The tragedy occurred around midnight on September 19, 2026, at Emmanuel’s apartment in the Olympic Layout area of Enugu.
According to the police, trouble started after an argument reportedly broke out between the lovers over an allegation concerning HIV.
The disagreement allegedly became violent, with Emmanuel telling investigators that he struck Chinyere with a pestle.
He further alleged that he later used a machete on her before wrapping her remains in nylon and concealing them inside the toilet.
The suspect also reportedly damaged Chinyere’s phone, claiming he feared people could use it to trace him.
The grisly crime came to light after neighbours reportedly became suspicious because of a foul smell coming from the apartment.
The police were alerted and the suspect was eventually arrested after reportedly being rescued from an angry mob.
In his account to investigators, Emmanuel reportedly said he had met Chinyere on Facebook in 2023 and had been in a relationship with her since then.
“I loved Chinyere so much. I wanted to marry her,” he reportedly told the police.
His account, however, remains subject to investigation, as police have not declared all the circumstances surrounding the death conclusively established.
The Enugu State Police Command said Chinyere’s family has since been identified and interviewed as investigators work to establish what led to her death.
The Commissioner of Police, Mamman Bitrus Giwa, has directed that the investigation be concluded and the suspect charged to court.
The case has left Chinyere’s family and neighbours struggling to understand how a relationship that the suspect claimed was heading towards marriage ended in a fatal confrontation.
Police have urged members of the public to report threats or signs of violence in relationships before disagreements escalate into tragedy.
