Enugu State, Police Command, murder, sexual abuse, defilement, domestic violence, Loveth Uloma Nwangwu, Emeka Emmanuel Nwangwu, police failure, justice system, Nsukka, State CID.
The Enugu State Police Command has announced the arrest of 51-year-old Emeka Emmanuel Nwangwu for the fatal assault and murder of his 19-year-old maternal cousin, Loveth Uloma Nwangwu. The case has raised serious concerns regarding the police command’s initial handling of the victim’s previous abuse reports against the suspect.
The arrest was confirmed by SP Daniel Ndukwe, the Police Public Relations Officer for the Enugu State command, on Tuesday.
The Command stated: “The Enugu State Police Command, through operatives of the Nsukka Urban Division, with the support of Neighbourhood Watch Group, on 1st December 2025, arrested one Emeka Emmanuel Nwangwu (male, aged 51) for the gruesome murder of his maternal cousin, Loveth Uloma Nwangwu, aged 19.”
The victim, Loveth, had previously reported multiple incidents of abuse, sexual violence, and threats from the suspect just days before her death.
“The deceased had earlier reported a case of defilement, sexual abuse, abduction, and threat to life against the suspect on 28th November 2025 to Umabor Division.”
The report indicated that Loveth had been living with the suspect since 2019, following the death of his wife.
“She alleged that she had been living with the suspect since 2019, at age 13, after the death of his wife, and that he had restricted her communication with family and friends and subjected her to sexual abuse.”
After the victim attempted to flee to her family in Enugu-Ezike, the suspect allegedly used a firearm to coerce her back to his residence in Ibeku-Opi, Nsukka LGA, where she was confined. She managed to escape and reported the incident, leading the police to issue a medical report form for examination.
“After attempting to escape to her family home in Enugu-Ezike, Igbo-Eze North LGA, the suspect allegedly threatened her with a firearm, forcing her back to his residence in Ibeku-Opi, Nsukka LGA, where she was locked up in a room. She later escaped using a spare key and reported the incident to the police, who issued her a medical report form for examination.”
The police narrative confirms the suspect was apprehended and confessed: “The suspect and family were invited to the station, where he confessed, sought forgiveness, and promised to return her property.”
Despite the gravity of the confession and the clear evidence of sexual abuse, police records show the matter was ultimately resolved outside the court system. The police allowed the victim to be released back into the environment where she faced the confessed abuser.
“The family, citing personal ties, initially chose not to prosecute the case but opted for spiritual cleansing due to the incestuous and abominable act against the victim.”
Tragically, while Loveth was receiving medical treatment at a pharmacy in Nsukka, the suspect attacked her, causing fatal injuries.
“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 victim was immediately taken to the hospital, where she was confirmed dead. The body has been moved to the mortuary for preservation and autopsy, and the suspect has been rearrested and remains in police custody.
The Commissioner of Police, Mamman Bitrus Giwa, issued a statement condemning the crime and the cruel nature of the attack, assuring the public that justice would be served. He has directed the State Criminal Investigation Department (State CID) to meticulously investigate the case and ensure it is promptly charged to court.
However, the police’s initial handling of the abuse report has drawn widespread criticism from the public.
A Facebook user, Peter Obi, directly faulted the police:
“Shows how incompetent our law enforcing agents are!! By this statement, the police is directly explaining how they failed this young lady who is now late. Shouldn’t common sense and logic let you know that you can’t just release someone who confessed to such a crime and allow the victim to go and face the risks. Not even when the victim had to find her way to escape with the hope of finding justice from the police .. No protection for her afterward such escape and exposing her abuser.. Rather she was left out there to face the consequences of exposing the crime and now she’s said. May God judge all the officers involved in this !!!,” he wrote on Facebook.
Another user, Odinaka Emmanuel Eze, expressed sadness and accused the police of preferential treatment: “Poor people suffer in you people’s hand. Someone that committed a crime that basically can attract life imprisonment was reported to you people and you people were romancing with it in the name of family ties and rubbish cleansing. I forgot it’s in Nigeria that k!llers like Boko haram are tagged repentant people and reintegrated into our armed forces which got us to this terrible state of terrorism.
Enugu police command failed this young deceased girl . You people gave the criminal a second chance to k!ll the young girl as he earlier threatened, probably because he can afford you people financially and has connections while the girl can’t afford you people. God have mercy on you people. I feel so sad.”
Daniel Noble also faulted the Umabor Police Division, stating they were complicit in the death: “The police division in umabor that supposedm to court for such grievoussuch grievoused him. The case is between him and the state not even the family again.”
“The family doesn’t have any right to forgive him for such crime. As at today, defilement is life imprisonment imprisonment in Umabor should go in for this matter, because if they did not release him at first nothing would have happened to the innocent girl.”
