The Edo State Police Command has arrested a 40-year-old man, Samson Ekata, over the alleged murder of his 18-year-old pregnant girlfriend in Uromi, Esan North-East Local Government Area. He is also accused of mutilating her body.
Commissioner of Police Patrick Daaor disclosed the arrest on Wednesday, October 21, 2026, while presenting Ekata and other suspects arrested for different offences.
Daaor said the victim had reportedly lived with Ekata for about a year before the incident. The suspect allegedly killed her, cut off one of her breasts and attempted to remove her unborn baby.
Speaking to journalists, Ekata admitted killing his girlfriend but claimed spiritual forces influenced his actions. He also said he had never committed murder before.
“I began hearing voices instructing me to kill her, but I initially resisted because she was pregnant.
“The same instruction came to me in a dream about two weeks later, prompting me to commit the crime.
“After killing her, I severed her breast as the spirit instructed me to do so,” he said.
Ekata added that he carried the victim’s body in a Toyota Corolla before dumping it by the roadside. He denied killing anyone else.
Daaor described the incident as horrific and expressed sadness over the teenager’s death. He thanked community members whose assistance helped the police arrest the suspect.
The commissioner assured residents that Ekata would face the full weight of the law. He urged the public to provide credible information to security agencies and advised parents to protect their children, especially girls, from sexual predators and other dangerous people.
