Shock in Nsukka: UNN Student Arrested for Murder of Young Woman in Hotel After Dispute Over ₦15K Payment

Police operatives in Enugu have arrested a 22-year-old undergraduate of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Emmanuel Gambo, for the brutal killing of 24-year-old Deborah Sam-Praise Ememem inside a hotel room following a heated dispute over a ₦15,000 payment demand. The suspect, a 200-level student of Material and Metallurgical Engineering, allegedly strangled the victim to death after a second round of sexual activity turned violent.

According to the Enugu State Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Daniel Ndukwe, the incident occurred on June 15, 2025, at a hotel in the Nsukka area. Investigations revealed that Gambo had checked in with the victim at about 9:00 p.m. on June 14 and attempted to flee unnoticed after committing the murder. He reportedly offered an initial ₦5,000 to the deceased, who demanded an extra ₦15,000, prompting an argument that ended with her being strangled.

The suspect then wrapped her body in a towel and curtain, hiding it under the bed before disappearing from the hotel. Staff discovered the decomposing body on June 16 around 9:00 a.m., after noticing a foul stench emanating from the room. He had used a fake name and unreachable phone number on the hotel’s check-in form, which initially stalled the investigation.

Detectives, acting on “credible and painstakingly gathered intelligence,” arrested the suspect at his student lodge on July 2. During interrogation, he confessed to the crime and led police to recover several of the deceased’s belongings, including her iPhone, Redmi tablet, and earbuds—items he had either kept or discarded through the hotel window after the murder. A bottle of Asconi Agor red wine the victim brought to the hotel was also recovered in his possession.

Police Commissioner Bitrus Giwa, in a statement through the PPRO, applauded the swift work of the detectives and assured residents of Enugu State that the suspect would be prosecuted. He vowed that the command would continue to prioritize the protection of life and property, especially as cases involving young people and violence continue to rise.

The Commissioner also issued a stern warning to parents, guardians, and school authorities, urging them to increase vigilance over the behavioral patterns of their children and wards. He emphasized the growing dangers of moral decay, peer pressure, and reckless youth indulgence in transactional sex, alcohol, and violence, which, he said, are increasingly contributing to tragic outcomes like this.

The horrifying case has sparked outrage across social media and raised urgent conversations around youth mental health, transactional relationships, and digital footprints. As police prepare to charge the suspect in court, advocacy groups are calling for justice for Deborah and stronger regulations around hotel guest screening and security checks in student-dominated areas like Nsukka.