A wave of shock has gripped residents of Umuleri in Anambra East Local Government Area following the arrest of a 46-year-old man, Obadigbo Emmanuel Anumudu, for allegedly beheading a 69-year-old woman, Mrs. Obianuju Akubi, in what police described as a “gruesome and sacrilegious murder.”
The suspect, who had been on the run since July 22, 2024, was nabbed by operatives of the Rapid Response Squad (RRS), Awkuzu, after months of intelligence-led investigation that tracked him to Aguleri, a neighboring community.
During interrogation, Anumudu confessed to the crime and reportedly revealed the identities of other members of his gang who participated in the beheading. He also disclosed the location of the victim’s severed head, which was carted away after the killing.
Confirming the arrest, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), SP Tochukwu Ikenga, said the Command is intensifying efforts to apprehend the remaining gang members and bring them to justice.
“The suspect is in custody. The Commissioner of Police has ordered a manhunt for his accomplices, and justice will take its full course,” Ikenga stated.
The incident has left the community in deep mourning, with traditional leaders describing it as an abominable act that calls for spiritual cleansing to appease the gods of the land.
Residents who spoke to journalists said the killing had shattered the peace of the area and demanded that the culprits face the full wrath of the law.
