The Enugu State Police Command has arrested 22-year-old Emmanuel Gambo, an undergraduate of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), for allegedly murdering a young woman, Deborah Sam-Praise Ememem, whose decomposing body was found under a hotel bed in Obukpa, Nsukka.
Police spokesperson, SP Daniel Ndukwe, confirmed the arrest in a statement shared on Tuesday via X (formerly Twitter).
He said the victim’s personal belongings were recovered and the suspect confessed to the crime during interrogation.
According to the police, Gambo, a second-year student of Material and Metallurgical Engineering from Kogi State, checked into the hotel with the victim on the night of June 14, 2025. Following a second round of sexual intercourse, a dispute broke out when the victim allegedly demanded an additional ₦15,000, after already receiving ₦5,000.
The disagreement escalated, leading Gambo to strangle her. He then wrapped her body in a towel and curtain from the hotel room and hid it under the bed. On June 16, hotel staff discovered the decomposing body after noticing a foul odour from the room.
The suspect had used a false name and unreachable phone number when checking in, which initially slowed down the investigation. However, after weeks of tracking, detectives arrested him at his residence in Nsukka on July 2.
Police recovered the deceased’s iPhone from the suspect, along with other belongings, including a bottle of red wine she brought to the hotel, her tablet, and earbuds, which he had discarded through the window.
Enugu State Commissioner of Police, CP Mamman Bitrus Giwa, praised the detectives for their work and reaffirmed the Command’s commitment to justice and public safety. He also urged parents to keep a closer eye on their children and advised young people to stay away from crime and harmful behavior.
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