‘We warned her not to follow them but she refused because of money’
A 20-year-old lady, simply identified as Ugochi Nworie, was on Saturday night, allegedly gang raped to death in a popular hotel along the Enugu-Abakaliki Expressway.
But there was controversy over what led to her untimely death. A report on the case revealed that the victim was ganged raped to death while another report claimed that the incident was that of ritual killing in Ebonyi.
The victim, who was said to be an indigene of Ikwo Local Government Area of Ebonyi State, was said to have encountered some “strange” men at the hotel, after a party that lasted into the night.
It was further gathered that the men who came to the hotel with a saloon car marked “Colonel”, reportedly negotiated N50,000 with the victim to enable one of them to spend the night with her while she was said to have consented to the agreement.
But it was gathered that the victim’s lifeless body was later discovered in the hotel on Sunday afternoon after her female friends raised the alarm and reported a case of a missing person to the Nigeria Police.
Sources close to the victim further alleged that the late Ugochi’s vital organs, including eyes, and breasts, among others, were missing when her body was deposited at a Mortuary in Abakaliki
Another source also claimed that the victim was found dead on Monday, May 2, a day after she arrived at the hotel with some men.
An eyewitness further claimed she was found with her two hands and legs tied, her eyes blindfolded and her private part allegedly cut off.
Speaking during a press briefing on Wednesday in Abakaliki, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) in the state, Loveth Odah, said investigations are ongoing to uncover the circumstances leading to the untimely death of the young lady.
Odah also assured the general public that the State Command will carry out a thorough investigation to get to the root of the matter, apprehend the culprits and prosecute them accordingly.
But a report on the alleged murder of Ugochi Nworie alleged that she was gang-raped to death in the popular hotel in Abakaliki, Ebonyi State.
Sources familiar with the incident explained that the lady was, however, found dead in the hotel room after the door was forcefully opened in the daytime as her legs, hands and mouth were found tied up.
It was further gathered that used condoms, indicating gang rape, were recovered from the scene.
Incidentally, one of the female friends of late Ugochi, who sought anonymity, said: “After we partied in the hotel with Ugochi, we decided to go home but Ugochi decided to stay back because some men priced her N50,000 to spend the night with her.
“They priced me N100,000 but I refused because I don’t know them. I lied to them that my boyfriend was in town and so, I will not be able to spend the night outside my home.
“We warned Ugochi not to follow them but she refused because of the money. So, we left her behind and went home. When we didn’t see her the next day, we went to the police and reported the matter.
“We heard the men tell someone that they are from Ghana. We don’t know whether it is true or not. One of the vehicles they came with to the hotel had ‘Colonel’ written where number plates are placed
“Ugochi killed herself. Assuming she had listened to us, she wouldn’t have died. This is too bad and painful.”
