A suspect Ndifreke Nelson has been taken into custody by Akwa Ibom State Police Command agents in relation to the alleged murder of his girlfriend, Emem Effanga.
In an undisclosed hospital, Effanga, 39, was pronounced dead following an alleged strangulation by her partner.
On Monday, DSP Timfon John, the command’s Public Relations Officer, stated this in a statement in Uyo.
She added that the suspect was apprehended after the command received information that the deceased was unconscious in her residence.
The spokesperson for the command mentioned that operatives arrived at the scene and observed visible signs of violence on the deceased’s face and neck, suggesting possible strangulation. They traced the last person seen with her to Nelson, who had visited her residence on February 6, 2025, the morning of his birthday.
In addition to confessing to visiting the victim that morning and requesting to use her phone to capture images for his birthday celebration on social media, she said the suspect was apprehended after being tracked down to a church in Uyo.
The statement reads in part, “Operatives of the Akwa Ibom State Police Command have arrested one Ndifreke Isaiah Nelson,32, for the alleged murder of his girlfriend, Emem Monday Effanga, 39, and stealing her mobile phone after committing the crime.
“Sometime in February 2025, the command received a report that the deceased was found dead in her apartment under suspicious circumstances.
“Upon arrival at the scene, operatives observed visible marks of violence on her face and neck, suggesting she had been strangled and beaten to death.
“The scene was processed, evidence documented, and the body was evacuated to the hospital, where she was confirmed dead by medical personnel. The corpse was thereafter deposited at the mortuary for preservation and autopsy.”
The PPRO added that after a prompt investigation, “detectives traced the last person seen with the deceased to be Ndifreke Isaiah Nelson, who had visited her residence on February 6, 2025, the morning of his birthday.
“The suspect was later tracked to a church in Uyo, where he attempted to escape upon sighting police operatives but was swiftly pursued and apprehended.
“During interrogation, the suspect confessed to visiting the victim that morning and demanding to use her phone to take pictures for his birthday celebration on social media.
“When she refused, a struggle ensued, during which he overpowered her, strangled her with his hands, and struck her head on the floor with fist blows, leaving her unconscious before fleeing with her phone. One Itel Super Phone, belonging to the deceased, was recovered from him at the time of arrest.”
John promised the public that justice would be done after revealing that a postmortem examination had been performed and that a pathologist had recorded the reason of her death. She also mentioned that the case had been charged to court.
She also mentioned that Commissioner of Police, Baba Mohammed Azare, took the opportunity to caution against domestic violence and other criminal activities, urging the public to stay vigilant and report any suspicious behaviour to the authorities.
