Crime
How I Hired Friends To Kill My Stepmother – 20-Year Stepson Confesses
Ekenedilichukwu Okeke, age 20, admitted on Friday that he was guilty of his stepmother, Mrs. Theresa Okeke’s horrific murder in Awka, Anambra State.
According to reports, Okeke, an accountant with the National Population Commission (NPC), was found dead in her home at No. 4 Umuziocha, Awka, on September 28, 2022.
However, the suspect claimed that he killed the deceased so that she could withdraw N1 million from her phone while being paraded by police along with 19 other people at the State Criminal Investigation Department, Amawbia.
He said he had to hire his friends to assist him to carry out the act, shortly after the deceased, who had been assisting him in paying his fees, insisted he must leave her house over a misunderstanding.
He said: “I finished writing JAMB and was doing some menial jobs to enable me to raise money for my university fees. I also worked for NPC 3 months ago.
“I had a misunderstanding with my mom, along the line and she scolded me. I pleaded with her, thinking she’s forgiven me. But the next day she asked me to leave the house.
“I called my dad and elder brother to inform them of the development but my dad didn’t pick up. It was my brother who picked that I told him what happened.
“After I called my friends to help me get money from my mom so I can use it for my fees ahead of my admission. Along the line, she collapsed and slumped.
“I’m very remorseful and praying God to have mercy on me and the government to forgive me.”
One of the accomplices, Peter Jideofor, a musician who confessed he was the one that tied the deceased mouth when she attempted to scream, said they would not have killed her if she had provided her PIN.
He said, “He told me he had an issue with his stepmother and that I should help him extract N1m from her. It was around 2 am, with my other guys. We tied her hands and feet.
“When she wanted to shout, I tied her mouth. In the process, she stopped breathing. It was at that point I left because my mission was not to kill. When I was leaving, I told the guy to keep checking on her every 30 minutes.
“But it was in the morning she told us that she’s dead. All of us were in shock and fled, but I stayed indoors until the day I was arrested.”
Jideofor, who claimed to be an orphan, regretted the act, saying it was his first experience.
“I must confess that I didn’t plan to kill her. I feel very guilty. This is my first time. I’m 24 years. We had planned to do a transfer but she refused to provide the PIN.
The CP, Echeng Echeng CP had earlier claimed that the prime suspect was the same person who had come to report his stepmother’s horrific murder by unidentified assailants.
He claimed that the accused had since admitted to the crime and that they would soon face charges.
He said, “Police on September 28, at about 0200hrs, one Mrs. Theresa Okeke (f), aged 54years, an accountant with NPC, Awka was gruesomely murdered in her residence, No. 4 Umuziocha, Awka.
“Immediately the case was reported, her stepson, Ekenedilichukwu Okeke, 20 who slept in the same house with the deceased was arrested for interrogation.
“He claimed armed robbers stormed their residence and killed his stepmother. However, after an intelligence-based interrogation, he eventually confessed to the crime and named his accomplice.
“Detectives from State CID Awka swiftly mobilized in search of the accomplices which led to the arrest of three additional suspects, namely, Peter Jideofor, aka Rider, 23, Chukwuemeka Christopher, 29, and Chisom Emmanuel, 22.
“They have all confessed to the crime and disclosed that it was the deceased stepson who contracted them to come and kill the deceased to enable them to transfer the sum of 1m from her account, having known her phone password.”
Edo State Governor, Senator Monday Okpebholo has condemned in strong terms the setting ablaze of some suspected kidnappers by residents of a community in Uromi, East North East Local Government Area.
Describing the act as barbaric and condemn-able, the Governor represented by the Chief Security Officer (CSO), Government House, SP Solomon Osaghale, vowed to ensure that the perpetuators are brought to justice and made to face the full wrath of the law.
He stressed that such a barbaric act is strange in our climes and will not be tolerated in the State.
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SP Osaghale said he was in Uromi at the instance of the Governor to ascertain the level of damage done and to ensure that prompt and full investigation was carried out to ensure justice so as to forestall a reoccurrence.
He revealed that investigations have shown that the people who were killed had boarded a commercial truck and was stopped by members of local security who upon searching of the vehicle, discovered some guns, a situation that led to the mob attack by persons around the vicinity.
While condemning the act, he restated that nobody had the right to take another man’s life, stressing that the nature of the barbaric killing was a cause of concern to the Governor.
SP Oseghale said, “His Excellency, the Governor of Edo State, Senator Monday Okpebholo on getting the news of this incident, directed me to immediately come here and find out what transpired as the news of what happened here is a sign of worry to our Governor whose desire is to create a prosperous State void of dastardly acts like this.
“I can assure you that the people involved in this unprovoked attacked will not go scot -free, as His Excellency has directed the Commissioner of Police to launch a full scale investigation into the matter. As I speak now, over four persons have been arrested for their involvement in this ugly incidence.”
The CSO called for calm, while assuring the law abiding residents of Uromi, especially the Hausa Community in the area to go about their daily activities, as men of the Nigerian police force and other security agencies have been deployed to restore peace and normalcy to the place.
Appreciating the Governor for his swift response, the leader of the Hausa Community in Uromi, Mal Aliyu Haruna, thanked Governor Okpebholo for deploying the CSO and other security personnel to the community.
Haruna acknowledged that their presence has brought calm and reassurance to the Hausa Community in the area, as there was palpable fear and unease in their camp following the unfortunate incidence which he noted has never happened before in the local government.
“We want to sincerely thank the Governor of Edo State, His Excellency, Senator Monday Okpebholo for his swift response to the occurrence of this ugly incidence. I must tell you that this is the first time a thing like this is happening in Uromi and it baffles me because, Uromi people have been so accommodating to us in the Hausa Community.
“Over the years, we have lived peacefully among the indigenes. Our sojourn in this land has spanned over seventy years. I was given birth to here, and so are many other people you are seeing here today,” Haruna said.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has declared prominent businesswoman and socialite, Aisha Sulaiman Achimugu, wanted over an alleged case of criminal conspiracy and money laundering.
In a public notice released on Friday via the agency’s official X handle, EFCC spokesperson Dele Oyewale called on Nigerians to provide any useful information regarding Achimugu’s whereabouts.
“The public is hereby notified that Aisha Sulaiman Achimugu, whose photograph appears above, is wanted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in an alleged case of criminal conspiracy and money laundering,” the statement read.
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Achimugu, 51, hails from Ofu Local Government Area of Kogi State, with her last known address listed as 6C, Rudolf Close, Maitama, Abuja.
The EFCC urged anyone with relevant information to contact its offices across the country or report to the nearest police station or security agency.
The declaration follows Achimugu’s failure to honor an invitation by the anti-graft agency regarding an ongoing investigation into money laundering and a high-profile investment scam.
According to PUNCH Online, the EFCC had summoned her to appear at its Port Harcourt office on March 5, 2025, for questioning.
The summons, dated March 4, was signed by the agency’s acting zonal director in Port Harcourt, Adebayo Adeniyi, and delivered to her Abuja residence.
“This commission is currently investigating a case in which the need to obtain certain clarification from you becomes imperative. In view of the above, you are kindly requested to attend an interview with the undersigned through the Head of Investigation on Wednesday, 5th March 2025, by 10:00 hours prompt,” the letter stated.
However, rather than appearing before the EFCC, Achimugu reportedly left Nigeria on March 6. Her sudden departure prompted the agency to secure a warrant for her arrest before officially declaring her wanted.
The EFCC has urged members of the public with any information about her location to come forward, assuring that all details provided would be treated with confidentiality.
Operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), on Monday, March 24, 2025 busted a Ponzi Scheme Academy and arrested 133 suspects in Abuja.
They were arrested at the Compensation Layout in Gwagwalada area of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Abuja, following actionable intelligence on the existence of the Academy.
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The Academy, named Q University (a.k.a Q-Net) is in the business of recruiting gullible young Nigerians who are trained to recruit more gullible citizens into the scheme with the promise of getting unrealistic profit returns.
The suspects are enrolled into a training codenamed: “Special Training for New Generation Billionaire” and brainwashed to believe that they would graduate into the league of billionaires.
It was gathered that got into the training by obtaining a form the promoters called “Independent Representative Application Form” with promotional slogans such as: “I’m a Champion” “I’m Unstoppable”, “I’m Infinity”, among others.
The EFCC carried out the operation in collaboration with officers and men of 176 Guards Battalion, Nigerian Army.
Items recovered from the suspects include phones, computers and other electronic gadgets.
They will be charged to court as soon as investigations are concluded.
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