Police arrest man over alleged murder of married lover in Anambra

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By Florencemary Nwabueze

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The Anambra State Police Command has arrested a 26-year-old man, Thankgod Ikwugwara, over the alleged murder of his married lover three months ago in Oraifite, Ekwusigo Local Government Area of the state.

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The deceased, a 33-year-old woman whose identity was withheld, was reported missing on March 13, 2026, by her mother at the Oraifite Divisional Police Headquarters. Her lifeless body was later discovered the following day inside a culvert near Jesus Bus Stop, Oraifite.

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Police said the suspect was arrested on June 6, 2026, alongside a 20-year-old accomplice, Makuochukwu Uzoigwe.

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Spokesperson for the Anambra State Police Command, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, said the suspects were arrested after the case was transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), Awka, for further investigation.

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He said operatives, acting on intelligence and digital forensic leads, tracked and arrested the suspects after sustained efforts.

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According to him, the principal suspect confessed to the crime during interrogation.

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Ikenga said Ikwugwara claimed he had been in a relationship with the deceased for about three years but was unaware she was married. He also alleged that after a disagreement involving the woman’s husband, he developed an unexplained illness which affected his sight and later plotted revenge.

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The police spokesperson further said the suspect confessed that on March 13, 2026, he lured the victim to his residence under the pretence of seeking assistance for his illness.

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Upon her arrival, he and the second suspect allegedly attacked her with a machete, resulting in her death. The body was then dumped in a culvert near Jesus Bus Stop the following day.

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Ikenga added that both suspects have confessed and will be charged to court upon the conclusion of investigations.

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The Commissioner of Police, CP Ikioye Orutugu, commended detectives for their professionalism and reaffirmed the command’s commitment to ensuring justice for victims of crime.

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