The Enugu State Police Command has apprehended a 22-year-old student of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), over the alleged murder of a fellow student, a young woman identified as Deborah Sam-Praise Ememem. According to a statement issued by the command’s spokesperson, SP Daniel Ndukwe, the tragic incident unfolded following an intelligence-led investigation that led to the arrest of the suspect, Emmanuel Gambo, a second-year student from the Department of Material and Metallurgical Engineering.

Deborah Ememem was found dead in a hotel room in Nsukka under disturbing circumstances. Ndukwe disclosed that Gambo, who hails from Kogi State, had checked into the hotel with the deceased on the night of June 14, 2025. However, after their second round of intercourse in the early hours of June 15, an argument allegedly broke out when Deborah demanded an additional ₦15,000, having earlier received ₦5,000 from Gambo. The dispute reportedly escalated into violence, culminating in Gambo allegedly strangling her to death.

In an attempt to conceal the crime, the suspect reportedly wrapped the victim’s body in a towel and curtain, then hid it beneath the hotel bed. Hotel staff discovered the decomposing remains the next morning, June 16, after noticing a foul smell. The suspect had initially used a fake name and provided a non-functional phone number on the hotel registration form, complicating police efforts to track him.

However, detectives, acting on credible intelligence, eventually located and arrested Gambo at his lodge in Nsukka on July 2, 2025. Upon interrogation, he confessed to the crime. Police recovered several of the deceased’s belongings in his possession, including her iPhone, tablet, earbuds, and a bottle of red wine she had brought along.

Commissioner of Police Mamman Giwa praised the investigating officers for their diligence and reiterated the command’s commitment to justice and the rule of law. He also urged parents to be more involved in the lives of their children and warned young people to avoid destructive behaviors and peer pressure.