Police apprehend suspected killer of UniJos female undergraduate

Barely a week after opening investigation into the gruesome killing of a 300-level female undergraduate student of the University of Jos, the Plateau State Police Command has apprehended the suspected killer.

The late student identified as Jennifer Anthony, said to hail from Akwanga in Nasarawa State was reportedly lured to a guest house in Jos, the Plateau State capital and killed on January 1, with her vital body organs removed for alleged ritual proposes by the culprit, who was identified to be her boyfriend, Moses Oko, a 20-year-old suspected ‘Yahoo boy.’

Parading the suspected killer, Tuesday, alongside suspected personal effects of the deceased, as well as blood-soaked bedsheet and blood-stained fork allegedly used to pluck the deceased’s eyes, the State Commissioner of Police, CP Bartholomew Onyeka disclosed that Oko was arrested on Tuesday, January 11 in Benue State.

Oko was paraded on along with other suspects aid to have committed other crimes, including kidnapping and culpable homicide.

Addressing journalists at the Police headquarters in Jos, the CP said: “The Command through my leadership has put together a lot of strategies to prevent crimes in Plateau State. But whenever crime occurs, we put in all efforts to arrest the perpetrators for them to face the consequences of their criminal actions.

“Sequel to the gruesome murder of Miss Jennifer Anthony, a 300 level student of the University of Jos whose lifeless body was found mutilated on 01/01/2022 at Domus Pacis Guest House, Jos by a man named Moses Oko ‘m’, aged 20 years, suspected to be her boyfriend who fled after committing the crime, the Command in a bid to arrest the perpetrator launched an aggressive manhunt on the suspect and tactically trailed him to Benue State where he was arrested by hawked-eye police operatives of the Command. The suspect will be arraigned in court as soon as investigation is completed.”

Speaking on other crimes, he stressed some kidnapped victims have also been arrested in the course of operations.

“Following the cases of abduction of one Mrs. Tabitha Silas Vem ‘f’, wife of the Deputy Chief of Staff, Plateau State Government House and one Dr Samuel Audu ‘m’ of Barkin Ladi area of Plateau State, a combined team of Police operatives and other security agencies in a rescue operation, stormed and combed the bushes around Sho Village and rescued the victims unhurt on 11/1/2022 at about 1130hrs.

“The victims were stabilized and reunited with their families. Meanwhile, efforts are on top gear to apprehend the suspects. On the 01/12/2021 at about 1200hrs, one Esther Emmanuel ‘F’ and one Chigozie Asibe ‘F’ both of Kabong Gada Biu Jos reported at ‘A’ Divisional Headquarters that on the 26/11/2021 at about 1700hrs, they discovered that their daughters, one Princess Emmanuel ‘f’ aged 17years and one Rejoice Asibe ‘f’ aged 17years were not at home.

“Upon receipt of the report, Police detectives attached to ‘A’ Division immediately swung into action and the following persons; Esther Sunday ‘f’ aged 26years; Jemila Thomas ‘F’ aged 36years; Victoria Danladi ‘f’ aged 36years and Joy Nnamani ‘f’ aged 18years all of Kabong Gada Biu Jos were arrested. Preliminary investigation revealed that they criminally conspired and trafficked the girls to Mali through Lagos State.

“The Suspects have confessed to the crime and case has been transferred to the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP),” the CP said.

It would be recalled that the State Police Command, only last Friday, January 7 announced it had commenced investigation into the gruesome murder of a 300-level student of the University of Jos (UniJos), identified as Jennifer Anthony, in what is suspected to be a ritual killing related.

Jennifer was reportedly murdered in a hotel room in Jos with her vital body parts removed.

The student of the Department of Special Education and Rehabilitation Science of the university, was found dead in a hotel with her eyes gorged out.

Reacting, the Public Relations Officer of the Plateau State Command, ASP Ubah Gabriel Ogaba, who confirmed the incident, adding that it has already commenced full investigation into the murder.

“The Command is aware of the ugly incident which took place on January 1, at the Domus Pacis lodge. The suspect, who is at large, went away with all means to identify the victim,” Ogaba said.

“The Commissioner of Police has ordered a discrete investigation to unravel the circumstances surrounding the incident and to arrest the perpetrators of that dastardly act. We promise to furnish the media with more details on the incident as it unfolds.”

He added that the State Commissioner of Police on Thursday January 8, also had a security meeting with hoteliers in Jos over the incident and gave them some security tips to avoid future occurrences.

Eyewitness account claimed that the late Jennifer was lured to the Domus Pacis lodge along Zaria road Jos, by a man suspected to be her boyfriend, where she was drugged before being killed and her vital body parts removed.

It was further gathered that the said boyfriend after the dastardly act left the hotel and removed virtually everything that might be used to trace him including the lady’s phone and other valuables in her bag.

A source close to the hotel disclosed that the mutilated body of Jennifer was discovered by one of her friends who traced her to the hotel and discovered her in a pool of her blood while the eyes and other vital organs were missing.

The friend who discovered Jennifer’s body alerted the hotel management which in turn invited the police.

The remains of the lady have been deposited at the Plateau State Specialist Hospital.