The rape and murder of 22-year-old Ugochi Success Anosike in Obigbo, Rivers State, has triggered widespread outrage, with her family accusing the police of shielding the main suspect and concealing crucial details of the case.
Ugochi, an orphan who lived alone in a rented apartment in Obigbo, Port Harcourt, was reportedly raped and strangled in her room on Monday.
The case gained national attention after social media posts by her sister, Ceecee Anosike, and a close friend, Torty Mercy, went viral under the hashtag #JusticeForUgochi.
Torty Mercy revealed that the victim had repeatedly complained of harassment by her neighbour, identified only as Black Maria, who had entered her room at night on two previous occasions.
“Apparently this particular guy has been harassing her in the compound. He entered her house uninvited twice at night. Ugochi, why were you so scared to seek help? You thought he would hurt you, and now he has killed you and is on the run,” she wrote on X.
In a chilling twist, the landlord’s daughter, identified as Chioma, has been accused of assisting the attacker.
According to Ceecee and other family members, Chioma held Ugochi’s legs while the suspect raped her and later urged him to return and kill her because she had seen their faces.
“The same Chioma she reported the harassment to was the one who held her legs,” Torty posted. “She even suggested they should go back and kill her.”
The family also alleged that the landlord had initially moved to secure the suspect’s release through his lawyer, apparently unaware that his own daughter was implicated. When the connection became known, he was said to have hurriedly arranged for other tenants to vacate the building.
Police in Rivers State later confirmed that the main suspect had been apprehended but suffered what officers described as a self-inflicted injury while in custody.
He reportedly stabbed himself in the stomach with a sharp object after being left uncuffed to write his statement and was taken to hospital for treatment under police supervision.
However, the family has accused the police of covering up details of the incident, including the suspect’s identity, and showing reluctance to charge those involved.
“We are devastated,” said Ceecee Anosike. “My sister was raped and strangled in her room. Everyone in the compound ran away. The police are protecting the main suspect and hiding his name. We are helpless orphans, but we won’t stop until justice is done.”
Human rights groups have condemned the handling of the case, describing it as another example of Nigeria’s failure to deliver justice in cases of gender-based violence.
The Rivers State Police Command has yet to issue a formal statement on the alleged involvement of the landlord’s daughter or to respond to the family’s claims that the investigation is being deliberately delayed.
As outrage grows online, campaigners continue to demand transparency, prosecution of all suspects, and protection for victims’ families as the call for Justice for Ugochi gathers momentum across Nigeria.
*The story has been updated to include the identification of the main suspect, known as Black Maria.
