UNN Student Arrested for Murder of Young Woman in Nsukka Hotel

A 22-year-old student of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), Emmanuel Gambo, has been arrested by the Enugu State Police Command in connection with the murder of a young woman, Deborah Sam-Praise Ememem, who was found dead in a hotel room in Nsukka.

This was revealed in a statement on Monday, July 7, 2025, by the spokesperson of the Enugu State Police Command, SP Daniel Ndukwe, who confirmed the recovery of the deceased’s iPhone, tablet, earbuds, and other personal belongings, alongside the arrest of the suspect.

According to the statement, the case was initially reported at the Nsukka Urban Police Division before being transferred to the Homicide Section of the State Criminal Investigation Department for detailed investigation. Preliminary findings revealed that on June 14, 2025, at about 9:00 p.m., the suspect, a second-year student of Material and Metallurgical Engineering, had checked into a hotel in Obukpa, Nsukka, with the victim.

A dispute reportedly broke out between the two after a second round of intercourse, when the deceased allegedly demanded an additional ₦15,000, in addition to the ₦5,000 earlier agreed upon. The disagreement turned violent, and the suspect allegedly strangled her to death.

The suspect then wrapped the victim’s body in a towel and a curtain from the hotel room and concealed it beneath the bed. Hotel staff later discovered the decomposing body on June 16 after perceiving a foul odour coming from the room. Efforts to trace the suspect were initially frustrated by false details he had provided at check-in, including a fake name and unreachable phone number.

However, after weeks of discreet intelligence gathering, police operatives arrested Gambo at his lodge in Nsukka on July 2, 2025. During interrogation, he confessed to the crime, and led detectives to recover the victim’s belongings. The deceased’s iPhone and a bottle of wine she brought to the hotel were found in his possession, while her tablet and earbuds were recovered after the suspect disclosed he had thrown them out the hotel window in a bag.

The Commissioner of Police, Enugu State, CP Mamman Bitrus Giwa, psc, has commended the detectives for the arrest and recovery, assuring the public of the Command’s commitment to justice and security. He also appealed to parents and guardians to remain vigilant about the activities of their children and cautioned youths against social vices and negative peer influence.