Tension and fear swept through Nsukka town in Enugu State over the weekend following the discovery of a young woman’s body in a hotel room at Madoka Hotel, located in the Obukpa Layout along Ibagwa Road. The victim had checked in the previous day with a male partner who is now on the run.
Hotel staff reportedly became suspicious when the man was seen leaving the premises alone early the next morning. When asked about his female companion, he claimed she had left earlier, describing her as a commercial sex worker. Trusting his words, the newly employed receptionists allowed him to leave without further checks.
The horror came to light minutes later when hotel cleaners entered the room for routine service. According to eyewitnesses, the woman’s lifeless body was discovered hidden under the mattress and covered with a bedspread. The discovery sparked panic among staff and guests as calls were immediately placed to the local police station.
Sources within the hotel revealed that the male guest had provided fake personal information and an unreachable phone number during check-in, making it difficult for investigators to track him down. The management has since handed over all available CCTV footage to law enforcement agencies for further investigation.
Social media platforms quickly lit up with unverified claims suggesting the victim’s body had been mutilated for ritual purposes. However, the Enugu State Police Command has firmly refuted these reports. Speaking to reporters, Police Public Relations Officer SP Daniel Ndukwe confirmed that while the case is officially a murder, there was no evidence of ritual killing or missing body parts.
Ndukwe stressed that all parts of the deceased’s body were intact upon discovery. “The narrative of ritual or body mutilation is completely false. This is a case of homicide, but we are actively pursuing leads to apprehend the suspect,” he said.
As investigations continue, the tragic incident has renewed public calls for stricter hotel security policies, especially on proper guest profiling and verification during check-ins. Residents of Nsukka are also demanding swift justice for the victim to prevent similar occurrences in the future.
