Femicide: Police Arrest Onyema Okonkwo, Emmanuel Onyekachi for Murder of Nursing Student

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Summary: Two suspects, Onyema Okonkwo, 32, a local vulcaniser, and Emmanuel Onyekachi, 25, a phone charger, have been identified and arrested as suspects for the rape and murder of 21-year-old nursing student, Wendy Achumba. The two men murdered the young nurse in her private off-campus residence on Thursday, May 21, 2026. 

Onyema Okonkwo, 32, a local vulcaniser, and Emmanuel Onyekachi, 25, a phone charger,  have been identified and arrested as suspects for the rape and murder of 21-year-old nursing student, Wendy Achumba. The Imo State Police Command confirmed their arrest on Sunday, May 24, 2026.

The victim, Wendy Achumba, is a native of Abia State who was undergoing Post-Basic Nursing training at Mercy College of Nursing Science, Umulogho, Obowo Local Government Area of Imo State. On Thursday, May 21, 2026, her lifeless and mutilated body was discovered in her off-campus residence in Umuadara village. Her body has severe signs of violence and a slit throat.

According to the state’s police statement, Onyema confessed to the murder of the student in collaboration with his accomplice, Emmanuel. Both men raped then murdered her to conceal their crime. 

“Around 7 pm, me and my friend Emmanuel, who is a phone charger, arrived at her lodge. We noticed nobody was around. We went straight to her room and asked her for sex, but she refused. When we started forcing her, she injured my face with her nails. We later overpowered her and raped her. I had sex with her twice while my friend did it three times with her. I later attacked her with a wooden object while my friend also stabbed her with a knife,” the suspect confessed in a viral clip.

Following the incident, the women of Umulogho, Obowo, Imo State staged a protest to demonstrate their outrage and sadness at the brutal murder of the nursing student. In the video shared online, the women were seen holding leaves and chanting in the Igbo language, demanding justice for the young lady. Markets and shops in the village were also closed to show solidarity.

In addition, the women’s union released an official statement strongly condemning the heinous act and appealing to the authorities to investigate and prosecute the perpetrators.

“We will not rest until justice is served. The people of Umulogho are united in this demand, and we will do everything possible to ensure that the perpetrators face the full weight of the law. The gods of our land will not rest if justice is not done,” the statement reads.

The police, however, informed the public that the suspects have been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department for a comprehensive investigation. They assured that the suspects will be prosecuted upon the conclusion of their investigations.