The Police Command in Enugu State has detained 18-year-old Ikediekpere Obodoagu for allegedly kidnapping and murdering his five-year-old male second cousin, Wisdom Obodoagu.
This is contained in a statement issued by the Command’s spokesman, SP Daniel Ndukwe, on Wednesday in Enugu.
Ndukwe said the suspect’s accomplice, Sunday Michael, 24, a security guard at 9th Mile Corner, Enugu, was also detained.
He said the suspects were apprehended on Aug. 11 and 12, 2025 by operatives of the Command’s Anti-Kidnapping Tactical Squad, following intelligence after ransom demands were reported.
According to him, the child was first reported missing on July 26, 2025.
Ndukwe said investigations revealed that the prime suspect used his accomplice to demand ₦1,000,000 ransom from the victim’s father, in a bid to conceal his identity.
He added that when the ransom was not paid, the suspect murdered the child and buried him in a bush near their residence in Okinitor, Amankwo-Ngwo, Udi Local Government Area.
“During interrogation, the suspects confessed to the crime,” Ndukwe stated.
He further disclosed that the prime suspect later led operatives to the site, where the victim’s body was exhumed in the presence of medical personnel, including a doctor, who certified him dead.
The spokesman said the Commissioner of Police, Mr Mamman Giwa, had commiserated with the bereaved family and assured that the suspects would be arraigned upon conclusion of investigations.
Ndukwe added that the commissioner reiterated the Command’s commitment to detecting heinous crimes and ensuring justice.
