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.”
A former Managing Director of the Warri Refining and Petrochemical Company Limited (WRPC), Jimoh Yisawu, has been granted bail in the sum of ₦500 million by the Federal High Court in Abuja after pleading not guilty to an eight-count charge of alleged money laundering filed against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Yisawu was arraigned on Monday before Justice Inyang Ekwo in a case marked FHC/ABJ/CR/361/2026, over allegations that he violated the provisions of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.
SEE MORE: EFCC Files Fraud Charges Against Ex-MDs of Warri, PH Refineries
According to the EFCC, the former refinery boss allegedly indirectly converted more than $789,950, said to be proceeds of unlawful activity, in contravention of Section 18(2)(b) of the Act and punishable under Section 18(3).
The anti-graft agency further alleged that Yisawu made cash payments exceeding $789,950 to one Samaila Bala without using any financial institution, contrary to Nigeria’s anti-money laundering laws.
The commission also accused him of making additional cash payments totalling $122,600 through one Rasheed Olaitan Yusuf, also without routing the transactions through a financial institution.
The defendant, however, pleaded not guilty to all eight counts when they were read to him in court.
Following his plea, defence counsel Wale Balogun (SAN) urged the court to grant his client bail, noting that the EFCC had earlier released him on administrative bail after seizing his international passport.
Balogun appealed to the court to maintain the same bail conditions, arguing that his client needed to prepare adequately for his defence while out on bail.
However, prosecution counsel Ekele Iheanacho (SAN) opposed the application, urging the court to consider the EFCC’s counter-affidavit challenging the defendant’s request for bail.
In his ruling, Justice Ekwo held that the offences contained in the charge were bailable and ruled that Yisawu was entitled to bail.
Relying on Section 162 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA), 2015, the judge granted the former WRPC boss bail in the sum of ₦500 million, with one surety in like sum.
The court ordered that the surety must be a responsible Nigerian with landed property in Abuja and must provide proof of ownership of the property.
Justice Ekwo also directed Yisawu to surrender his international passport and barred him from travelling outside Nigeria without prior approval from the court.
Pending the fulfilment of the bail conditions, the judge ordered that the former refinery chief remain in the custody of the EFCC.
The matter was subsequently adjourned to October 25, 26 and 27, 2026, for the commencement of trial.
Former Minister of Science and Technology, Uche Nnaji, has been granted bail in the sum of N20 million after pleading not guilty to a six-count charge bordering on alleged certificate forgery filed against him by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC).
Nnaji was arraigned on Monday before the Federal High Court in Abuja, where the ICPC accused him of forging academic credentials, including a degree certificate allegedly issued by the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN).
The anti-corruption agency also alleged that the former minister presented a fake National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) discharge certificate during his ministerial screening in 2023.
SEE ALSO: DSS Arraigns Five for Allegedly Hiding Wanted Ex-Gov Timipre Sylva
The defendant, who served in President Bola Tinubu’s cabinet as Minister of Science and Technology from August 16, 2023, until his resignation on October 6, 2025, denied all the allegations after the charges were read before Justice Joyce Abdulmalik.
Following a bail application by his lead counsel, Chief James Onoja (SAN), the court admitted Nnaji to bail in the sum of N20 million with one surety in like sum.
Justice Abdulmalik ruled that the surety must be a civil servant resident in Abuja and not below Grade Level 15. The court further directed the surety to depose to an affidavit of means.
As part of the bail conditions, the former minister was ordered to surrender his international passport and barred from travelling outside Nigeria without the court’s permission.
The court subsequently adjourned the matter until July 21, 2026, for the commencement of trial.
Nnaji’s arraignment followed his arrest by security operatives at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, on July 1, shortly after returning to the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). The ICPC had earlier confirmed that the arrest was carried out to facilitate investigations into the allegations against him.
The case is expected to proceed with the presentation of evidence when trial begins later this month.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission on Wednesday arraigned the immediate past Managing Director of the Port Harcourt Refining Company Limited, Ahmed Dikko, before the Federal High Court in Abuja, over an alleged N1.32bn money laundering scheme linked to the rehabilitation of the state-owned refinery.
Dikko was docked before Justice Inyang Ekwo on a 12-count charge marked FHC/ABJ/CR/360/2026 alongside Masterpiece Projects & Investment Limited.
The former refinery boss, who headed the Port Harcourt refinery from March 2020 for about four years, pleaded not guilty to all the charges.
The EFCC alleged that Dikko laundered the sum of N1,322,839,112.70, said to be proceeds linked to contractors engaged by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited for the rehabilitation of the Port Harcourt refinery, through cash property purchases, undisclosed bank retentions, concealment of funds through third parties and unauthorised foreign exchange transactions.
ALSO READ: Global Demand for Nigerian Crude Higher Outstrips Supply – FG
According to the anti-graft agency, one of the charges alleged, “That you, Ahmed Adamu Dikko… did directly make cash payment of the dollar equivalent of the sum of N218,375,000 to one Hadeija Bashir for the purchase of Plot 558, Abubakar Umar Street, Katampe Extension, Abuja without passing through a financial institution,” contrary to the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.
The commission further alleged in count eight, “That you Ahmed Adamu Dikko… on or about the 26th of June, 2023… disguised the origin of the sum of N328,710,337.50 paid into the GTBank Account… operated by Masterpiece Projects & Investment Limited by OMSA Integrated Services Limited from the transactions involving NNPC Limited allocation of Vacuum Gas Oil for export when you knew that the said sum… constituted proceeds of unlawful activity.”
In count 11, the EFCC accused the former refinery boss of unlawfully converting foreign currency, alleging, “That you, Ahmed Adamu Dikko between October 2022 and May 2025, did convert the aggregate sum of $77,080 through Ibrahim Isa Yaro, which amount did not form part of your known lawful earnings as a former public officer with the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Ltd.”
Following his plea, defence counsel, Okechukwu Ajunwa (SAN), urged the court to admit his client to bail pending trial, while EFCC counsel, Ekele Iheanacho (SAN), opposed the application.
In a ruling, Justice Ekwo admitted Dikko to bail in the sum of N150m with one surety in like sum.
The judge held that the surety must reside within the court’s jurisdiction and own landed property valued at not less than the bail sum.
He also directed the defendant to surrender his international passport and ordered that he be remanded in EFCC custody until he fulfilled the bail conditions.
The court subsequently adjourned the matter to October 12, 13 and 14, 2026, for trial.
Courtesy – The Punch
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