The Anambra State Police Command has arrested four suspects, including a lady for allegedly setting ablaze a 74-year-old woman in a wheelchair.
PUNCH Metro gathered that the incident occurred at Abagana in Njikoka Local Government Area of Anambra State, on Saturday, but the police operatives recovered the burnt remains of the victim and her wheelchair as well as the casket on Sunday.
This was disclosed by the spokesman for the Anambra State Police Command, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, in a press statement on Sunday.
Ikenga said after setting the victim ablaze, the suspects got a casket to bury her before the intervention of the security operatives.
He said, “The Anambra State Police operatives serving at the Abagana Divisional Police Headquarters on 26/1/2024 by 9 am arrested four suspects, including a 21-year-old lady Chinenye Ekwenugo from Ifitedunu, over the burning of a 74-year-old woman in a wheelchair at Abagana.
“The three other suspects include Uzochukwu Okeke ‘M’ aged 47, Fidel Anayo ‘M’ aged 60 and Ikenna Anene ‘M’ aged 54 years respectively, all from Abagana.
“The operatives also recovered the burnt remains of the deceased, the wheelchair, and a casket.
“During interrogation by the police operatives, the suspect, Chinenye, confessed that her boyfriend, Ifeanyi Igwe, who is currently at large and three others set the victim ablaze and got a casket to bury her before the intervention of the security operatives.”
Ikenga said the operatives had also initiated moves to arrest the main suspect, Ifeanyi Igwe, who is currently on the run, adding that the body of the deceased had been deposited in the morgue for autopsy and further probe of the cause of the death.
“The Commissioner of Police, CP Nnaghe Obono Itam, while reacting to the report of the incident sued for calm and ordered the immediate transfer of the case to the Homicide Section of the State Criminal Investigation Department of the Command for a comprehensive investigation.
“Further developments shall be communicated, please,” he added.
In another development, operatives of the Anti-Cult Unit of the Anambra State Police Command stationed at Enugwu Ukwu acting on credible information on Saturday by 1.30 pm arrested one Maduka Okoye aged 25 years of Abagana.
Ikenga said the team also recovered three expended cartridges of a pump action gun at a shooting scene in Ezichike Community of Abagana.
He said, “The suspect Maduka Okoye, confessed to being a member of ‘Baggars Confraternity’ and said he was in a beer parlour drinking with his friend in the area when they came under attack by members of the rival cult group identified as Axe Men Confraternity.
“Meanwhile, the police responded swiftly and restored calm in the area. The suspect is currently assisting the police operatives in an ongoing operation for the possible arrest of the fleeing gang members and already identified members of the rival cult members, especially those actively involved in the shooting.”
