In a chilling case that has sparked national outrage, the Women’s Aid Collective (WACOL) has petitioned the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, demanding justice for Zinachukwu Ugwu, a four-year-old girl who was allegedly murdered in cold blood in Nsukka, Enugu State.
The petition, filed on behalf of the grieving parents, Dr. Ndubuisi Ugwu and his wife, Loveth Ugwu, calls for a thorough reinvestigation and prosecution of all those involved in what has been described as a premeditated, gruesome homicide, shrouded in conspiracy and a cover-up attempt.
According to the petition, the tragic incident unfolded on the night of August 18, 2024, at about 11:30 PM, when Nweke Chukwuemeka, the prime suspect, allegedly broke into the Ugwu family’s residence, abducted Zinachukwu from her sleep, and slit her throat in cold blood.
In an alarming twist, the family’s landlord was reportedly complicit in the crime, allegedly shielding the suspect, preventing security personnel from accessing the crime scene, and providing accommodation to known criminals in his premises, including the suspect. The landlord’s wife was also accused of acting as a “pointer” to the suspect.
The family, backed by WACOL, has expressed deep dissatisfaction with the police investigation, which they claim deliberately omitted the landlord from those indicted. The father of the deceased, Dr. Ugwu, a lecturer at Federal University, Oye-Ekiti, emotionally narrated how his daughter was murdered under circumstances suggesting a larger criminal conspiracy.
He alleged that after the killing, the suspect was initially housed in the landlord’s hotel, further reinforcing suspicions of collusion. In a shocking confession, the suspect reportedly admitted that the landlord had paid him ₦1 million to carry out the murder.
Dr. Ugwu also revealed that the landlord attempted to bribe him with ₦500,000 to drop his name from the case, an offer made in the presence of legal and family representatives, including Dr. Augustine Onyishi, Barrister Aro, Barrister Ikechukwu Ikenyi, and Augustine Azoka.
Adding to the family’s trauma, Zinachukwu’s mother, Madam Loveth Ugwu, recounted how a co-tenant forcibly took her other child into custody shortly before Zinachukwu was murdered. As she desperately searched the premises for her missing child, the co-tenant remained silent until she heard her daughter’s cries, prompting her to raise the alarm.
With tears in his eyes, Dr. Ugwu made a heartfelt plea:
> “Our lives took a devastating turn when our youngest child, Zinachukwu, was brutally murdered in our own home. This was an unprovoked attack, and the perpetrators are being shielded. We demand justice for our daughter, and we will not be silenced.”
The family is seeking:
A thorough reinvestigation of the case to include the landlord and all those complicit.
Prosecution of all involved parties without bias or cover-up.
Financial compensation, acknowledging that while no amount can bring back their child, justice must be accompanied by restitution.
WACOL’s Stand: No Room for Cannibalism and Murder in a Civilized Society
Professor Joy Ezeilo (SAN), Executive Director of WACOL, a former United Nations envoy, and Dean of Law at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, decried the gruesome murder and the systemic corruption within the police force.
She stated:
> “We live in a civilized society, yet we are witnessing barbaric crimes. This was not just a murder; it was a targeted, orchestrated killing. The Nigerian Police must redeem itself by ensuring that all those involved face the full wrath of the law. Justice must prevail, and we will not relent until every culprit is brought before the courts.”
The petitioners have called on IGP Egbetokun to personally intervene and sanction officers who have compromised the investigation.
> “The rot in the Nigerian Police Force must be sanitized, and it starts with ensuring justice for Zinachukwu. If we cannot protect our children, then what hope do we have as a society?”
As the case gains national attention, Nigerians are closely watching to see if justice will be served or if this brutal murder will be buried under bureaucratic corruption and impunity.
The ball is now in the court of the Nigerian Police Force and the judiciary to ensure that Zinachukwu Ugwu’s death does not become just another unresolved tragedy in the annals of Nigeria’s justice system.
PIONEER NEWS 