The police have arrested a suspected mentally unstable man who allegedly killed and burnt an unidentified lady near an uncompleted building along Rumuekini end of the East-West Road, Obio/Akpor Local Government Area of Rivers State.

It was gathered that after killing the woman, the man wanted to conceal his crime by setting fire to the victim but policemen who were alerted swooped on the suspect, arrested him, and removed the corpse.

Residents of the area, who expressed shock over the development, said the decomposing corpse of the woman was discovered when the stench permeated the area.

A resident said, “When we came to work on Monday, there was a foul smell near an uncompleted building.

“So, we went there and saw the corpse of the lady. It is surprising that we are there, but don’t even know about it if not for the smell that makes us suspect that something had happened.”

The spokesman for the state police command, SP Nnamdi Omoni, confirmed the killing and the arrest.

“The body has been evacuated and deposited in the mortuary. The investigation is still ongoing to ascertain what really happened,” Omoni said.

The Ekiti State High Court has sentenced a 45-year-old man, Mohammed Isiaka, to death by hanging for killing one Yakubu Jimoh.

The court, however, discharged and acquitted two others – Ismaila Okoro, 20, and Awolusi Bidemi, 23.

Delivering the judgment, Justice Lekan Ogunmoye, said, “The first accused is sentenced to death by hanging for murder on count one; and on count two, he is sentenced to 10 years’ imprisonment with N20,000 option of fine for unlawful possession of firearms.”

The judge also sentenced him to six months’ imprisonment for unlawful possession of the Nigerian Army uniform with an option of fine of N2,000.

He, however, acquitted the second and third defendants, saying, “In the case, there was no iota of evidence before me from which it could be inferred that the accused persons conspired to commit the offence of murder.

“The only option open to me in the circumstance is to hold that the prosecution had not proved the offence of conspiracy beyond reasonable doubt against the accused persons. In the circumstance, the 2nd and 3rd defendants are hereby discharged and acquitted.”

According to the charge, the first accused committed the offence on or about March 27, 2017, at Igirigiri village in Ado Ekiti, when he murdered one Yakubu Jimoh contrary to Section 316 and punishable under sections 319 and 428 (d) of the Criminal Code Law, Cap. C16 of Ekiti State of Nigeria, 2012.

The prosecutor, Gbemiga Adaramola, called six witnesses, while exhibits tendered included a gun, an army belt, a portrait picture, a mask, a human skull and bones, charms, among others.

The second and third defendants, who spoke through their counsel, Sunday Ochayi and Busuyi Ayorinde, called one witness each.

Mr. Samuel Ani, another Community leader in the crisis-ridden Oruku Community in Nkanu Local Government of Enugu State, was on Wednesday, shot dead in the area by unidentified gunmen.

The Police Command in the state confirmed the incident in a statement signed by its spokesperson, Mr. Daniel Ndukwe in Enugu on Wednesday.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that until his death, Ani was the Vice-Chairman, Oruku Caretaker Committee.

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The incident occurred barely two months after the traditional ruler of the community, Igwe Emmanuel Mbah was shot and killed by alleged hoodlums while addressing his subjects on Dec. 26, 2020.

NAN reports that the incident culminated in a crisis that led to the destruction of lives and property in the community.

The incident, however, prompted the state government to set up a Commission of Inquiry to look into the matter.

The deceased was expected to appear before the Commission on Friday before his death.

According to the statement, the Command received a report on Feb. 24, 2021, at about 7.30 a.m, that hoodlums suspected to be among the warring factions of the Oruku Community, shot and murdered one Samuel Ani at his residence in the community.

Ndukwe said the Command had vowed to fish out instigators and perpetrators of the fresh crisis in the community.

He said the Police Commissioner, Mohammed Aliyu also urged law-abiding residents of the community to remain calm.

“The Command is intensifying all efforts to fish out and bring the perpetrators to book,’’ he pledged.