Enugu, July 7, 2025 — The Enugu State Police Command has arrested a 22-year-old student, Emmanuel Gambo, in connection with the murder of Miss Deborah Sam-Praise Ememem, whose lifeless body was discovered in a hotel room in the Obukpa area of Nsukka.
The arrest followed an intensive and intelligence-driven investigation led by the Homicide Section of the State Criminal Investigation Department (CID), after the case was initially reported at the Nsukka Urban Police Division.
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According to police findings, the suspect, a second-year student of Material and Metallurgical Engineering at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), had checked into the hotel with the deceased on the evening of June 14, 2025. An argument reportedly broke out after a second round of intercourse when the deceased allegedly demanded an additional ₦15,000, on top of the ₦5,000 earlier paid by the suspect.
The altercation allegedly turned violent, culminating in the suspect strangling the victim. In a bid to conceal the crime, he wrapped her body in a towel and curtain from the hotel room and hid it under the bed.
Hotel staff discovered the decomposing body on June 16 after perceiving a foul odour emanating from the room. Police said the suspect had used a fake name and unreachable contact number while checking in, initially frustrating identification and arrest efforts.
However, on July 2, police detectives tracked down and arrested Gambo at his student lodge in Nsukka. Upon interrogation, he confessed to the crime and led officers to recover the deceased’s iPhone, which was found in his possession, along with a bottle of Asconi Agor red wine the victim had brought to the hotel. He also directed detectives to a spot outside the hotel where he had thrown away her Redmi tablet and earbuds in a bag.
The Commissioner of Police, CP Mamman Bitrus Giwa, commended the investigative team for their professionalism and dedication in cracking the case. He reaffirmed the Command’s commitment to justice and public safety and urged parents to be more vigilant over their children’s activities. He also warned young people against involvement in social vices and negative peer influence.
The suspect remains in police custody as investigations continue.
