Operatives of the Enugu State Police Command have arrested one Nweke Chukwuemeka, for allegedly killing the four-year-old daughter of his neighbour, identified as Zinachukwu Ugwu.

In a statement on Tuesday, the command’s public relations officer, Daniel Ndukwe, said the distress call about the alleged murder was received around 10:30 p.m. on August 18, 2024.

Mr Ndukwe said police operatives serving in the Nsukka Sector of the Command’s Anti-Cultism Tactical Squad, stormed the scene of the incident at Orba Road in Nsukka Local Government Area.

The command’s spokesperson said the operatives “consequently arrested one Nweke Chukwuemeka “m” aged 30, alleged to have gruesomely murdered the female child, Zinachukwu Ugwu, in cold blood while she was sleeping.”

“The lifeless body of the child was taken to the hospital, confirmed dead, and deposited in the mortuary.  Additionally, the knife used by the suspect to commit the crime, quantities of weeds suspected to be Indian hemp, and an object suspected to be a charm were recovered from him,” the police said.

According to the statement, investigation showed that the suspect hails from Umuagu-Ozalla in the Nkanu West Local Government Area, but resides in the same compound with the child’s parents along with others.

The police also disclosed that, “He initially attempted to attack other neighbours who resisted him and escaped before going into the victim’s apartment, where he saw the helpless child sleeping, and used the knife to cut through her throat.”

“This was after the mother of the child had run out to take the other of her children to safety before coming back for the victim,” it stated.

The police said the suspect, while confessing to the crime, claimed to have acted alone but under the influence of Indian hemp, methamphetamine, locally known as “Mkpuru-mmiri,” and an alcoholic drink he earlier consumed.

“He also confessed to being a member of the Vikings Confraternity and that in 2022, while residing in Jos, Plateau State, he was involved in a cult clash during which he murdered a male member of the rival cult group,” the suspect was quoted in the statement.

The police say the suspect would be arraigned and prosecuted after the conclusion of investigation.

Describing the act as barbaric, the Commissioner of Police, Kanayo Uzuegbu, condoled the victim’s parents, siblings, and friends, and assured them that all would be done to secure justice for the innocent child.

He therefore ordered the Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of the state CID Enugu, to ensure that ongoing investigations were concluded on the case prosecuted in record time. The commissioner also urged the citizenry to always be conversant with the behaviours of their neighbours to avert senseless incidents of this nature.