The Intelligence Response Unit of the Nigeria Police Force have arrested three suspects Johnson Emmanuel – 38, Gideon Emmanuel – 31, and Success Emmanuel – 27.
The trio were nabbed for the alleged kidnap and murder of one Mrs. Janet Nnenna Ogbonnaya.
The murder occured on May 14, 2020.
The suspects, of same parents, are all male and native of Isiekenesi in Ideato LGA of Imo State.
Force Public Relations Officer, DCP Frank Mba, announced the arrest in a statement Thursday night.
He said the brothers were arrested by the Police in their hometown where they had taken refuge after committing the crime in Abuja.
Mba noted one Chinedu Ogbonnaya had alleged that his mother, Ogbonnaya, 55, native of Ozuitem in Bende LGA of Abia State had been kidnapped and a N5million naira ransom demanded.
The spokesman said investigation revealed that the victim, a widow, who had been a Facebook friend of Johnson Emmanuel, was lured from her home in Gwagwalada to visit the suspect.
Police added that the suspect took advantage of the visit, served her yoghurt laced with drugs and subsequently had her murdered.
Having killed the victim and buried her remains in a septic tank, Emmanuel called the victim’s family using her phone and demanded N5million.
“Meanwhile, today 4th June, 2020, the suspects led a team of investigators alongside pathologists to a residence at Wumba District, Lokogoma, Abuja where the victim’s decomposing body was exhumed from a septic tank.”
The Police disclosed that the exhumed body has been taken to the University Teaching Hospital, Gwagwalada, Abuja for forensic examination.
A Toyota Highlander Jeep belonging to the deceased was recovered at a mechanic workshop in Apo where it had been repainted into a different colour.
Also, vehicle documents were changed and ownership of the stolen vehicle transferred to one of the masterminds of the crime – Johnson Emmanuel.
It added investigations revealed that the house where the deceased was killed and buried originally belonged to one of the suspects but was hurriedly sold-off to a third party to destroy evidence.
NAN