The Enugu State Police Command has confirmed the arrest of a male suspect in connection with the murder of a 22-year-old student of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), Deborah Sam-Praise Ememem, whose body was discovered in a hotel room in Obukpa, Nsukka.
In a press statement signed by the Command’s Public Relations Officer, SP Daniel Ndukwe, the police said that “following an intensive, diligent, and intelligence-led investigation, detectives have arrested the male suspect” and also “recovered the deceased’s iPhone, tablet, earbuds, and other personal belongings.
The suspect, Emmanuel Gambo, aged 22, hails from Kogi State.
According to the statement, “the case was initially reported to the Nsukka Urban Police Division, but was later transferred to the Homicide Section of the State Criminal Investigation Department (CID) for thorough investigation.
“Findings revealed that on June 14, 2025, at about 9:00 p.m., the suspect, a second-year student of Material and Metallurgical Engineering at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), checked into a hotel in Obukpa, Nsukka, with the deceased,” the statement said.
It continued: “In the early hours of June 15, 2025, a dispute ensued after a second round of intercourse, during which the deceased allegedly demanded an additional ₦15,000 from the suspect, on top of the ₦5,000 earlier paid. The disagreement turned violent, and the suspect strangled her to death.
“The suspect reportedly wrapped the deceased’s body in a towel and a curtain torn from the hotel room and hid it under the bed. On June 16, hotel staff perceived a foul odour and discovered the decomposing body hidden beneath the bed.”
Gambo had reportedly provided a false name and unreachable phone number on the hotel’s registration form, which initially made tracing him difficult.
However, “acting on credible and painstakingly gathered intelligence, the police detectives located and arrested the suspect at his lodge in Nsukka on July 2, 2025.
“During interrogation, he confessed to the crime. The deceased’s iPhone was immediately recovered from him,” the police confirmed.
Further, “a bottle of Asconi Agor red wine, which the deceased had brought to the hotel, was also found in his possession. He later led detectives to recover the deceased’s Redmi tablet and earbuds, which he had thrown out through the hotel window in a bag after committing the crime.”
The Commissioner of Police, Enugu State Command, CP Mamman Bitrus Giwa, has praised the detectives for their efforts in cracking the case, assuring the public of the Command’s continued dedication to justice and security.
He also used the opportunity to urge parents and guardians to closely monitor their children and wards, warning youths against social vices and negative peer influence.
“The Enugu State Police Command remains committed to ensuring justice, security, and the rule of law,” the statement emphasized.
