The Anambra State Police Command has arrested a 32-year-old man, identified as Ifeanyi Nwankwo, over the alleged murder of his 56-year-old friend, Kelechi Madu, in Awkuzu, Oyi Local Government Area of the state.
The police said preliminary investigations revealed that the suspect allegedly obtained money from the deceased under the guise of helping him acquire a piece of land that reportedly did not exist.
According to the Police Public Relations Officer, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, Madu was reported missing by his wife after he left home on the evening of August 17, 2026, and failed to return.
Police operatives, working with members of the local vigilante group and the deceased’s family, subsequently launched a search for him.
However, the following day, the victim was reportedly found dead in a bush at Umuobi, Awkuzu, with a deep axe wound to his head.
Ikenga said investigations led to the arrest of Nwankwo, who allegedly confessed to his involvement in the planning of the murder and disclosed that two other persons were engaged to carry out the attack.
The police spokesman said the suspect allegedly resorted to the plot in an attempt to conceal the money he had obtained from Madu through the purported land transaction.
Meanwhile, the Commissioner of Police, Anambra State Command, CP Nnanna Oji Ama, has ordered the investigation to be intensified to identify and arrest all other persons allegedly involved in the conspiracy and murder.
The Command assured residents that every individual connected to the crime would be brought to justice, while reaffirming its commitment to intelligence-led policing and stronger community partnerships to prevent violent crimes across the state.
