Abakaliki — EBONYI State police command has arrested three suspects in connection with the brutal murder and beheading of an apprentice nurse in Abakaliki Local Government Area of the state.

The victim, Miss Kelechi Nwawaka, 20, was murdered at Ndiechi Eketube community in Abakaliki council area on January 3, with her head, private part and fingers cut off purportedly for ritual purposes.

In a chat with Vanguard, state Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, Deputy Superintendent of Police, DSP, Sylvester Igbo, disclosed that the prime suspect, Chukwuka Augustine Nweke, who, after committing the crime fled to Edo State for refuge, had been arrested.

Other suspects arrested were the mother of the suspect, Margaret Augustine, and his younger brother, Solomon Nwawaka.

They were handed over to Ekumenyi Police Division in Abakaliki for further interrogation into the matter.

Igbo said: "On January, a report was received from one Veronica Nwawaka of Enyida village who claimed to be the step mother of one girl, named Kelechi Nwawaka, aged 20, who was murdered and beheaded at the back of Comprehensive Secondary School, Eketube, Enyida Development Centre.

"It was alleged that the victim was invited by one Margret Augustine because it was believed that there is a relationship between the two persons and based on that, the deceased visited the woman.

"While she was there, the victim's step mother waited for her (Kelechi) to come back but as she was not forthcoming, she decided among others to find out why the deceased could not come back home; only to discover the beheaded corpse of Kelechi at the back of the named secondary school.

"Investigation revealed that the prime suspect, Chukwuka Augustine, who is the son of Margret was the person behind the murder and beheading of the girl. Before police could reach their house, the suspect had already taken to his heels.

Prime suspect nabbed in Benin

"He went back to Edo State where they said he was running a business. Since that time, the police has been looking for him but the good news about it is that, the information reaching the command is that the prime suspect has been arrested by one of the police divisions in Benin.

"When the incident happened in Ebonyi, his relations sent a message to their relations in Benin, reporting the incident. And so because of that, those of their relations who were based in Benin went and report the matter to the police station in Benin.

"So, as soon as he was seen, he was picked and detained. The police in Ebonyi is making arrangement to go to Benin to pick the suspect so that he can answer to the charges against him."

Vanguard investigation revealed that the headless body of the deceased was discovered on January 3, 2013, behind Comprehensive Secondary School, Eketube, Enyida Development Centre as the deceased was said to be an apprentice nurse at MCH Hospital, Convent Road, Azuiyiokwu, Abakaliki.

Journey to death

Kelechi's journey to her brutal end started on New Year day when one of her relatives, Mrs. Margaret Augustine Nweke, invited her to come and eat rice in her house.

It was also gathered that while the deceased was leaving Margaret's house around 10pm, she was accompanied by the suspect, Chukwuka Augustine Nweke, 26, who was alleged to have master-minded the dastardly act.

Meanwhile, the mutilated body of the deceased was later found by a search party comprising men of the Civil Defence Corps and villagers when the family of the deceased suspected foul play and raised alarm.