Police arrest 200-level UNN student over alleged murder of female student in Nsukka hotel

The Enugu State Police Command has arrested a 200-level student of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), Emmanuel Gambo, over the alleged murder of a 22-year-old female student, Deborah Sam-Praise Ememem, in a hotel in the Obukpa area of Nsukka.

Gambo, a second-year student of the Department of Material and Metallurgical Engineering and a native of Kogi State, was arrested following a discreet, intelligence-led investigation by the police, according to a statement issued on Monday by the command’s spokesperson, SP Daniel Ndukwe.

The incident, which occurred between June 14 and 15, 2025, was initially reported to the Nsukka Urban Police Division before being transferred to the Homicide Section of the State Criminal Investigation Department (CID) for in-depth investigation.

Preliminary findings revealed that the suspect had checked into the hotel with the deceased around 9 p.m. on June 14. Following a second round of sexual activity in the early hours of the following day, a disagreement reportedly ensued after the deceased allegedly demanded an extra ₦15,000, in addition to the ₦5,000 previously paid.

According to the police, the argument escalated into violence, during which Gambo allegedly strangled Ememem to death. He then wrapped her body in a towel and a curtain from the room and concealed it under the bed.

The hotel staff reportedly discovered the decomposing body on June 16 after detecting a foul odour coming from the room. The suspect had initially provided a false name and an unreachable phone number upon checking in, which complicated early efforts to trace him.

However, acting on “credible and painstakingly gathered intelligence,” police operatives arrested Gambo at his student lodge in Nsukka on July 2.

During interrogation, the suspect confessed to the crime. Police recovered the deceased’s iPhone from him, along with a bottle of red wine she had brought to the hotel. He also led detectives to retrieve her Redmi tablet and earbuds, which he had discarded in a bag through the hotel window after the murder.

Commissioner of Police in the state, Mamman Giwa, commended the investigators for their diligence and swift action, assuring the public that the command remains committed to delivering justice and maintaining law and order.

The commissioner also urged parents and guardians to be vigilant about the activities of their children and cautioned young people against engaging in risky behaviour or succumbing to peer pressure.