Three brothers have been arrested in connection with the murder of a widow and mother of five children in Abuja, according to Mr Frank Mba, Public Relations of the Police Force.

The suspects, from Isiekenesi, Ideato Local Government in Imo, are helping Police investigation into the May 14 murder of Mrs Janet Ogbonnaya, a mother of five children.

He said that the suspects were arrested by the Police in their home town where they had allegedly taken refuge after committing the crime in Abuja, to evade arrest.

Mba said that investigation that led to their arrest followed complaints by one Chinedu Ogbonnaya, who alleged that his mother, Janet, 55, a native of Ozuitem in Bende Local Government Area of Abia, had been kidnapped.

Ogbonnaya told the Police that N5 million ransom was being demanded by the kidnappers to secure the mother’s release.

“A comprehensive and painstaking investigation by Police operatives resulted in the arrest of the three suspects, who, in the course of interrogation, revealed that the victim had long been murdered and buried.

“Further findings revealed that the victim, a widow, who had been a Facebook friend of the principal suspect, was lured from her home in Gwagwalada, Abuja to visit the suspect.

“The suspect took advantage of the visit, served her milk laced with drugs, and subsequently murdered her,” he said.

According to him, the victim was buried in a septic tank after which the suspects went ahead to reach out to the family, using her phone, to demand N5 million ransom to secure her release.   ​

Mba said that the suspects, on Thursday, led a team of investigators alongside pathologists to a residence at Wumba District, Lokogoma area of Abuja, where the victim’s decomposing body was exhumed from a septic tank.

The spokesman said that the exhumed body had been taken to the University of Abuja Teaching Hospital for forensic examination, while a Toyota Highlander Jeep belonging to the deceased had also been recovered at a mechanic workshop in Apo, where it had been repainted into a different colour.

Mba said that the vehicle documents had been fraudulently changed with ownership of the stolen vehicle criminally transferred to one of the masterminds of the crime.

According to him, investigation also revealed that the house where the deceased was killed and buried originally belonged to one of the suspects but was hurriedly sold to a third party to obliterate evidence.

“Already, the Inspector General of Police, Mr Mohammed Adamu, has commended the team of Police operatives for a job well done. He has also pledged that perpetrators of crimes will not go undetected and unpunished.

“The Police helmsman has also enjoined citizens to be more security conscious and report any suspicious activities within their neighbourhood to the nearest Police Station,” the statement said.