A 22-year-old man has been arrested by operatives of the Imo State Police Command over the alleged rape and blackmail of a 19-year-old girl in Owerri.
Police identified the suspect as Chigaemezu Joseph Chukwudi from Nduawa Arondizuogu in Ideato North Local Government Area of Imo State. Authorities said he allegedly lured the victim to a hotel under false pretences before sexually assaulting her and secretly recording the act.
Speaking at the police headquarters in Owerri, the Commissioner of Police, Audu Garba Bosso, said the suspect deceived the teenager, who works as a seamstress, into believing he wanted her to take measurements and sew shirts for him and his friends.
According to the police, the suspect allegedly took the victim to Lekim Royal Hotel and Suites in New Owerri, where he reportedly had non-consensual sex with her. Investigators further alleged that he recorded the incident with his mobile phone and later used the video to threaten and intimidate the victim.
Police said the suspect allegedly warned the teenager that he would release the explicit video online if she refused further sexual demands from him.
Bosso disclosed that detectives arrested the suspect on May 14, 2026, at about 2:34 pm around the Orji/Amakohia Road axis in Owerri North Local Government Area following investigations into the complaint.
“Investigation revealed that the suspect allegedly deceived the victim into accompanying him to the hotel under the guise of taking measurements and sewing shirts for him, where he allegedly had non-consensual sexual intercourse with her, recorded the act on his phone, and thereafter used the video to threaten and coerce her into further sexual acts,” the police commissioner stated.
The suspect is currently in police custody while investigations continue. Authorities said he would be charged to court after the conclusion of the investigation.
The Imo State Police Command also reaffirmed its commitment to tackling sexual violence, cyberstalking and other criminal activities across the state, urging residents to report suspicious behaviour and crimes to security agencies promptly.
