Enugu: 4-Year-Old Girl Killed by Neighbor in Brutal Attack

In a heartbreaking incident in Enugu State, a 30-year-old man has been arrested for the gruesome murder of his neighbour’s 4-year-old daughter. The Enugu State Police Command confirmed the arrest, which took place in the Nsukka area of the state.

The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) of the Enugu Police Command, DSP Daniel Ndukwe, provided details of the incident in a statement released on Tuesday. According to the statement, the tragic event occurred on August 18, 2024, at approximately 10:30 p.m. Police operatives from the Nsukka Sector of the Command’s Anti-Cultism Tactical Squad responded swiftly to a distress call reporting the murder of the young girl at a compound on Orba Road, Nsukka Local Government Area.

The suspect, identified as Nweke Chukwuemeka, was apprehended at the scene. He is alleged to have brutally murdered the child, Zinachukwu Ugwu, while she was sleeping. Authorities recovered the knife used in the attack, along with substances believed to be Indian hemp and a charm, from the suspect.

Preliminary investigations revealed that Chukwuemeka, originally from Umuagu-Ozalla in Nkanu West Local Government Area, had been living in the same compound as the victim’s family. Before the fatal attack, he reportedly attempted to assault other neighbours, who managed to fend him off. He then entered the victim’s apartment, where he found the child sleeping and used a knife to slit her throat. The child’s mother, who had initially fled with her other children, returned to find the devastating scene.

The suspect confessed to the crime, claiming that he acted alone but under the influence of substances including Indian hemp, methamphetamine (locally known as “Mkpuru-mmiri”), and an alcoholic drink called Action Bitters. He also admitted to being a member of the Vikings Confraternity and disclosed his involvement in a 2022 cult clash in Jos, Plateau State, during which he killed a rival cult member.

The Enugu State Police Command has vowed to ensure that justice is served. Commissioner of Police, CP Kanayo Uzuegbu, condemned the act as barbaric and extended his condolences to the bereaved family. He has directed the Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of the State CID to expedite the investigation and prosecution of the case.

The Commissioner also urged the public to remain vigilant and be aware of their neighbours’ behaviours to prevent such senseless tragedies in the future.