Operatives of the Enugu state police command have arrested an 18-year-old man, Obodoagu Ikediekpere Wisdom for the alleged kidnapping and brutal murder of his five-year-old cousin, also named Obodoagu Wisdom.
The Enugu State Police Command confirmed the arrest in a statement made available to DAILY GAZETTE by its Public Relations Officer, SP Daniel Ndukwe, on Wednesday.
The suspect was taken into custody alongside his alleged accomplice, 24-year-old Sunday Michael, a private security guard based in 9th Mile and a native of Mayo-Belwa Local Government Area in Adamawa State.
The two were arrested on August 11 and 12, 2025 by operatives of the Command’s Anti-Kidnapping Tactical Squad, following intelligence gathered in response to a ransom demand made to the victim’s family.
According to police, the child was first reported missing on July 26, 2025.
Subsequent investigations revealed that the teenager had conspired with his accomplice to demand a ₦1 million ransom from the child’s father.
Sunday Michael allegedly made the call in a bid to conceal the identity of the main perpetrator who turned out to be the child’s own cousin.
When the ransom was not paid, the suspect murdered the child and buried his body in a shallow grave in a bush near their residence in Okunitor, Amankwo Ngwo in Udi Local Government Area of Enugu State.
During interrogation, both suspects confessed to the crime.
The primary suspect led police operatives to the site of the burial, where the remains of the child were exhumed in the presence of medical personnel, including a doctor who officially confirmed the death.
Reacting to the incident, Enugu State Commissioner of Police, CP Mamman Bitrus Giwa, expressed his condolences to the grieving family, describing the crime as “heinous and heartbreaking.”
“This case highlights the very worst of human behavior,” the Commissioner said. “We will not rest until justice is served for this innocent child.”
He assured the public that the suspects will be formally charged in court once investigations are concluded and emphasized the Command’s ongoing efforts to crack down on violent crimes and restore public safety.
