The Enugu State Police Command has revealed details of the circumstances surrounding the alleged murder of 27-year-old Chinyere Rosemary Ugwu by her boyfriend, 30-year-old Okpara Chibuike Emmanuel, following an argument over HIV status.
The police said Ugwu, a graduate of Medical Laboratory Science from the Institute of Management and Technology (IMT), Enugu, had recently completed her National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) programme before her death.
The Police Public Relations Officer of the Enugu State Command, SP Daniel Ndukwe, disclosed the development while parading the suspect before journalists on Thursday.
According to Ndukwe, the victim, who was initially identified only as Chinyere, was allegedly murdered by Emmanuel inside his residence in Enugu Metropolis.
He said the investigation conducted after the suspect’s arrest established the identity of the deceased, while her parents and siblings had also been identified and interviewed by the Commissioner of Police.
The police spokesman said the Commissioner reassured the victim’s family that justice would be served.
Ndukwe said the suspect allegedly murdered Ugwu after an argument over who infected whom with HIV.
He explained that Emmanuel initially told investigators that he used a pencil to attack the victim, but further investigation revealed that he also used a machete.
“After using a pencil, following an argument over who infected or did not infect the other with HIV, he murdered her, wrapped her in a nylon, kept her in the toilet of his house, and eventually, perceiving the offensive odour, we were able to find out what had happened and he was arrested by the police,” Ndukwe said.
The police spokesman added that the suspect allegedly chopped off the victim’s wrist with the machete and inflicted severe cuts on her neck and head.
“What we also found was that beyond the pencil he initially claimed to have used, he also used a machete to chop off the wrist of the deceased and also inflicted serious machete cuts on her neck and her head,” he said.
During an interview with the police, Emmanuel, who said he is from Amuda Isuochi in Umunneochi Local Government Area of Abia State, admitted killing the woman.
He, however, gave an account of the incident in which he claimed that the altercation began after he told Ugwu that he could cure HIV, Hepatitis C and syphilis.
“In summary, what happened was that we had a discussion late night. On the 19th of September 2026, at midnight, I was having a discussion with her, telling her that I can cure Hepatitis C, HIV and syphilis. So if she had friends or anyone affected with such diseases, she should bring them to me that I can cure them,” Emmanuel said.
According to him, the statement prompted Ugwu to accuse him of infecting her with HIV.
“Now which led her to start screaming late at night that, ‘So Emmanuel, you’re the one that infected me with HIV and AIDS.’ And I was like, ‘No, why would you say such a thing?’ which led into an argument that resulted into a fight between me and her,” he said.
Emmanuel claimed that the victim picked up a pestle and started hitting him during the altercation, after which he allegedly took it from her and struck her, causing her to collapse.
He subsequently admitted using a machete on her.
“Yeah, I chopped off the wrist. And did some cuts on her head and the neck,” he said.
The suspect also narrated how he allegedly concealed the body after the killing.
“After then, I had to just close up the toilet and close the master’s bedroom and locked it up. I wrapped it with a black nylon and took her body to the toilet,” he said.
Emmanuel also admitted destroying the victim’s phone, saying he was afraid that people might discover what had happened.
“I had this fear that maybe people can get wind of what I was doing at that moment,” he said, adding that he knew he had done something wrong.
Asked why he did not seek help or report the incident, the suspect said he was distressed and had attempted to communicate with a neighbour.
“I was weeping, broken-hearted. I tried communicating with one of my neighbours about it, but already we were already having a misunderstanding. They couldn’t hear me out to help me on what to do. So I just had to stay locked in without knowing what to do,” he said.
The suspect said he met Ugwu on Facebook in 2023 and relocated to Enugu in December 2025.
He claimed that he loved her and intended to marry her.
“I’m heartbroken. I’m not feeling good about it. I loved Chinyere so much. I wanted to marry her,” Emmanuel said.
The suspect, however, denied that the killing was premeditated, claiming that he was not fully aware of his actions at the time.
“This thing is not actually what I did clearly or intentionally. This actually was out of… I wasn’t fully aware of myself first. I was probably on some substance,” he said.
He appealed for forgiveness and mercy.
“I’ve been praying to God for forgiveness, and for the fact that this wasn’t actually a clearly pure intentional act from my angle, and I’ve been pleading for the government to tamper justice with mercy,” he said.
Ndukwe said the Commissioner of Police had ordered a conclusive investigation into the case within record time.
He added that Emmanuel would be charged to court upon the conclusion of the investigation.
“He will be arraigned and then he will face the full wrath of the law. Justice will be served, and it won’t just be served. It will be served manifestly in this case,” the police spokesman said.
The command also advised members of the public, particularly young women, to ensure that trusted persons are aware of their movements when going out with others.
Ndukwe urged people to exercise caution and ensure that family members or trusted persons know where they are going and who they are meeting.
“No matter who you go out with, no matter the circumstances, particularly for young ladies, please try and let somebody know what your movement is all about. Don’t fall a victim of this nature. Be sure who you’re going out with. Let your people know so that when something happens, someone can know where next to look for you,” he said.