Man Arrested in Kaduna Over Death of Girlfriend

The Police Command in Kaduna State has arrested a man, Manaseh Bitrus Jatau, in connection with the death of his girlfriend, 35-year-old Rebecca Jeremiah.

The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), DSP Mansir Hassan, disclosed this in a statement issued on Friday in Kaduna.

According to Hassan, the deceased, a resident of Karatudu Area in Kaduna, was found dead along Mai Angwa Street, Romi, at about 7:00 a.m. on September 5. He said police detectives from the Romi Outstation responded promptly and evacuated the victim to St. Gerald Hospital, Kakuri, Kaduna, where she was confirmed dead by a medical doctor. Her remains were subsequently deposited at the hospital mortuary for an autopsy.

Hassan said preliminary investigations revealed that Jatau was the last person known to have contacted the deceased, having invited her to meet him at Ebano Joint, Romi. Following this lead, the suspect was traced and arrested at his place of work — Tomato Jos Company, in the Maraban Jos area of Kaduna.

During interrogation, the PPRO said the suspect confessed to engaging the deceased in a physical altercation in his room, which he claimed stemmed from a phone call she received from another woman. He said the suspect admitted the altercation resulted in her death, and further confessed to dumping her body in an open field close to his residence in an attempt to conceal the crime.
Hassan said the suspect remains in police custody as investigations continue, adding that he will be charged to court upon the conclusion of the investigation.

The PPRO quoted the Commissioner of Police in Kaduna, CP Rabiu Muhammad, as condemning all acts of violence and urging members of the public to embrace peaceful resolution of disputes. Muhammad also reassured residents of the command's commitment to ensuring justice for victims and holding perpetrators of crime accountable.