A 51-year-old neighbourhood security operative, Emeka Emmanuel Nwangwu, has been arraigned and remanded for the murder of his 19-year-old cousin, Loveth Uloma Nwangwu, whose killing has sparked outrage across Nsukka and on social media.
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The incident occurred on 1 December 2025 at Bekay Pharmacy, located by the Total Roundabout in Nsukka.
Witnesses said the suspect stormed into the pharmacy where Loveth was receiving treatment and violently assaulted her, smashing her head against the floor. She was rushed to hospital, where doctors confirmed her dead.
A video that surfaced online hours after the incident shows Loveth recounting the threats she had faced from the suspect, whom she described as a serial abuser.
“He locked me up and threatened that if I ever go to my parents’ house again, he will kill me, kill my mother and brother. That the police will not do anything. He said it was not a threat, that it is a promise,” she said.
Police authorities, in a statement, confirmed that Loveth had reported a case of sexual abuse, abduction, defilement and threats to life against the suspect on 28 November at the Umabor Police Division.
She alleged that she had been living with Nwangwu since 2019, at the age of 13, after the death of his wife, and that he had restricted her communication while subjecting her to repeated abuse.
In a detailed statement released by the Enugu State Police Command, the Police Public Relations Officer, Daniel Ndukwe, outlined the events leading to the killing.
According to him, “the deceased had earlier reported a case of defilement, sexual abuse, abduction, and threat to life against the suspect. She later escaped and reported to the police, who issued her a medical report for examination.”
Ndukwe said the suspect initially confessed to the allegations when invited to the station and promised to return the girl’s belongings.
Her family, due to personal ties and the incestuous nature of the allegations, opted for spiritual cleansing rather than immediate prosecution.
The situation turned fatal just days later.
“Tragically, while receiving treatment at a pharmacy in Nsukka, the suspect forced his way in, assaulted her and struck her head repeatedly on the floor, causing fatal injuries,” the police spokesman stated.
Nwangwu, who was first arrested by operatives of the Nsukka Urban Division and assisted by the local Neighbourhood Watch, has now been arraigned before an Enugu State Magistrate Court on a one-count charge of murder. The court ordered his remand and directed that the case file be forwarded to the Ministry of Justice for further review.
The Commissioner of Police, CP Mamman Bitrus Giwa, condemned the murder and described it as cruel and heartbreaking.
“We have ensured that the investigation is meticulous and that justice is already in motion. The suspect has been arraigned and remanded accordingly,” he said, while consoling the victim’s family.
Outrage continues to mount on social media, with users demanding swift justice for Loveth. Some community members have also alleged that the suspect is a politically connected figure who had operated freely for years.
Her death has now become a rallying point for advocates of child protection and gender-based violence prevention in Enugu State.
The suspect remains in custody as the police await legal advice from the Directorate of Public Prosecutions.
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