Crime & Security

Teenage Cousin Arrested for Murder of Five-Year-Old Boy in Enugu

A community in Enugu North Local Government Area has been thrown into mourning following the brutal murder of a five-year-old boy, Wisdom, allegedly at the hands of his 17-year-old cousin, Ikedi Obodo Agu.

The tragic incident came to light on Monday after the young boy was reportedly kidnapped and then killed to conceal the crime. According to community reports, Ikedi lured Wisdom away from his home under the pretense of playing a game of hide-and-seek. He then allegedly handed the child over to a security guard, intending to sell him for ritual purposes.

When the supposed buyer failed to show up, the plan shifted to extortion. The kidnappers initially demanded a staggering N15 million ransom, which was later reduced to N200,000 and finally N40,000. However, when the victim's family insisted on speaking with Wisdom before paying, Ikedi, fearing exposure, allegedly clubbed the boy to death and buried him in a shallow grave in the bush.

Community Leader's Account

The story was first shared on Facebook by community member Emmanuel Chinedu Ozoagu, who posted images and a video of the exhumation. He wrote that Ikedi, who had kept Wisdom tied up and blindfolded, killed the boy to prevent him from being identified.

The police anti-kidnapping unit was alerted and, using technology, traced the accomplice, a security guard at a company on the Enugu-Onitsha expressway. Both Ikedi and the security guard were arrested.

Ozoagu noted that when Ikedi was brought home to identify the grave, he narrowly escaped being lynched by angry youths. Wisdom's body was later exhumed and given a proper burial.

Police Response

As of the time of this report, attempts to get an official statement from the police spokesperson, SP Daniel Ndukwe, were unsuccessful. The tragic incident has sparked shock and outrage across the Ngwo community as they grapple with the senseless crime.