“They Brought a Casket to Bury Her”: Four arrested for burning 74-year-old woman in Anambra

January 27, 2025

By Shola Akinyele

A horrific crime has shaken the community of Ifitedenu in Anambra State, Nigeria, after four individuals were arrested for allegedly burning a 74-year-old wheelchair-bound woman to death.

The suspects, including 21-year-old Chinyere Ekwenugo, were apprehended by the Anambra State Police Command in connection with the murder.

According to SP Tochukwu Ikenga, the state police spokesperson, the incident occurred at approximately 9:00 a.m. on Sunday.

Ekwenugo, who is reportedly the girlfriend of the primary suspect, Ifeanyi Igwe, currently on the run, confessed to her involvement in the crime during interrogation.

“They brought a casket to bury her before the intervention of the security operatives,” Ikenga stated.

Three other suspects, Uzochukwu Okeke (47), Fidel Anayo (60), and Ikenna Anene (54), all from Abagana, were also arrested for their involvement in the crime.

The police recovered the victim’s charred remains, a wheelchair, and a casket from the crime scene.

Ikenga confirmed that the suspects have confessed to the crime and that investigations are ongoing to apprehend the fleeing prime suspect.

“Our operatives acted swiftly to apprehend the suspects and secure evidence,” he said.

The Commissioner of Police, Nnaghe Itam, has called for calm and directed the immediate transfer of the case to the Homicide Section of the State Criminal Investigation Department for thorough investigation.

In a separate incident, a 25-year-old man, Maduka Okoye, was arrested by operatives from the command’s Anti-Cult Unit in Enugwu Ukwu for his involvement in a shooting incident.

Okoye reportedly confessed to being a member of the Baggars Confraternity.