In a deeply tragic incident, a 30-year-old man named Nweke Chukwuemeka has been arrested for the murder of his neighbor’s 4-year-old daughter in the Nsukka area of Enugu State, Nigeria. The incident, which has shocked the local community, occurred on the night of August 18, 2024.

According to the Enugu State Police Command, officers rushed to a compound on Orba Road in Nsukka after receiving a distress call. They found the lifeless body of the young girl, Zinachukwu Ugwu, who had been brutally attacked while she was sleeping. The suspect used a knife to slit the child’s throat.

The police also recovered quantities of suspected Indian hemp, a charm, and the knife used in the crime. Nweke, who hails from Umuagu-Ozalla in Nkanu West Local Government Area, lived in the same compound as the victim’s family. He confessed to the crime, claiming he was under the influence of drugs, including methamphetamine (locally known as “Mkpuru-mmiri”) and alcohol.

Before the murder, Nweke reportedly tried to attack other neighbors but was resisted. He then fled to the victim’s apartment, where he committed the gruesome act. The child’s mother had briefly left the room to ensure the safety of her other children, only to return to the horrifying scene.

Nweke also admitted to being a member of the Vikings Confraternity and revealed that in 2022, he was involved in a cult clash in Jos, Plateau State, where he killed a member of a rival cult group.

The Enugu State Police Command has assured the public that the case will be thoroughly investigated, and the suspect will be prosecuted swiftly. The Commissioner of Police, CP Kanayo Uzuegbu, condemned the act as barbaric and extended his condolences to the grieving family. He also urged citizens to be more aware of their neighbors’ behavior to prevent such senseless acts of violence in the future.

This tragic event has left the community in shock, as they mourn the loss of an innocent child whose life was cut short by an act of senseless violence.