UNN Student Arrested for Alleged Murder of Female Undergraduate in Nsukka Hotel

By Iyojo Ameh

The Enugu State Police Command has arrested a 22-year-old undergraduate of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), Emmanuel Gambo, over the alleged murder of a fellow student, Deborah Sam-Praise Ememem, in a hotel room in Nsukka.

Gambo, a second-year student of the Department of Material and Metallurgical Engineering, was apprehended at his lodge in Nsukka on July 2, 2025, following an intelligence-led operation by police detectives.

The Command’s Public Relations Officer, SP Daniel Ndukwe, confirmed the arrest in a statement released on Monday in Enugu. According to Ndukwe, the case was initially reported to the Nsukka Urban Police Division before being transferred to the Homicide Section of the State Criminal Investigation Department (CID) for a detailed investigation.

Preliminary findings revealed that the suspect checked into a hotel in Obukpa, Nsukka, with the 22-year-old Ememem on the night of June 14, 2025. After a second round of sexual activity, an argument reportedly erupted when the deceased demanded an additional N15,000, having earlier received N5,000.

The confrontation escalated, resulting in Gambo allegedly strangling Ememem to death. He then wrapped her body in a towel and a curtain torn from the hotel room and hid it under the bed.

On the morning of June 16, hotel staff were alerted by a foul odour emanating from the room. Upon inspection, they discovered the decomposing remains of the young woman concealed beneath the bed.

The investigation was initially hampered by the suspect’s use of a false name and unreachable phone number on the hotel’s registration form. However, through meticulous intelligence efforts, police operatives successfully tracked him down to his residence.

During interrogation, Gambo reportedly confessed to the crime. The police recovered several of the victim’s belongings, including her iPhone, Redmi tablet, earbuds, and a bottle of Asconi Agor red wine she had brought to the hotel. The suspect had thrown some of the items out the window in a bag after committing the act.

Commending the detectives for their swift and diligent work, Commissioner of Police in Enugu State, Mr. Mamman Giwa, reaffirmed the Command’s commitment to justice and the rule of law.

The Commissioner also urged parents and guardians to be more vigilant in monitoring their children and wards, while warning young people against involvement in social vices and negative peer influences.