UNN horror: 200-Level student strangles female undergraduate to death

By Stanley Nwanosike

Shock and horror gripped the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), as police arrested a 200-level student of Material and Metallurgical Engineering, Emmanuel Gambo, for the alleged murder of a 22-year-old female undergraduate, Deborah Sam-Praise Ememem, in a chilling hotel room incident.

According to Enugu State Police Command spokesman, SP Daniel Ndukwe, the suspect, who hails from Kogi State, was arrested after an intelligence-led investigation into the gruesome discovery of Ememem’s decomposing body beneath a hotel bed in Obukpa, Nsukka.

The pair reportedly checked into the hotel on June 14, 2025, at about 9 p.m., and after two rounds of intercourse, a dispute broke out.

Ememem allegedly demanded an additional ₦15,000, on top of the ₦5,000 earlier agreed. The disagreement quickly spiralled into violence, with Gambo allegedly strangling her to death.

In an attempt to cover up the crime, Gambo allegedly wrapped the body in a towel and a curtain, then shoved it under the bed. Hotel staff stumbled on the horrifying scene on June 16, after noticing a foul stench from the room.

To evade arrest, the suspect had registered under a false name and provided a fake, unreachable phone number. But on July 2, detectives finally tracked him to his lodge in Nsukka, where he was arrested and confessed to the crime.

Recovered from the suspect were the victim’s iPhone, Redmi tablet, earbuds, and a bottle of red wine she had brought to the hotel. He had attempted to dispose of some of the items by throwing them out the window in a bag.

Commissioner of Police, Mamman Giwa, hailed the swift action of the detectives and assured the public that justice will be served.

He also urged parents to monitor their children closely and warned youths to shun social vices and peer pressure.

The case has since been transferred to the Homicide Section of the State CID for further investigation.