By Braxton Iloba
The gruesome killing of Emmanuel Nwanneniya, a former Chairman and land agent at Ikem Nando Community in Anambra State recently, may have been achieved through the use of restricted veterinary sedative, police investigation has revealed.
Following weeks of intelligence gathering, digital surveillance and coordinated tactical operations by the Force Intelligence Department’s Special Tactical Squad (STS), five suspects have been arrested over their alleged involvement in the murder.
Police investigations indicate that a restricted veterinary sedative, identified as S.P.L. Ketamine Hydrochloride 500mg/10ml, was allegedly procured and used in the commission of the crime. Investigators also uncovered evidence pointing to a wider conspiracy surrounding a lingering community land dispute.
It was further revealed that the crisis originated from disagreements over the management of proceeds realised from the sale of community land. According to investigators, the funds were shared among the three clans that make up Ikem Nando Community, with one clan receiving about N39 million.
Community members reportedly resolved through a majority decision that the money should be invested in the construction of a community hall and other developmental projects. However, police said opposition soon emerged from another faction, leading to prolonged disagreements, hostility and repeated threats against those who supported the project.
As tensions escalated, several respected members of the community allegedly became targets of intimidation. Police disclosed that reports had earlier been received alleging threats of kidnapping against elders and community leaders who supported the utilisation of the land proceeds for development. Some of the suspects were invited for questioning and statements obtained before they were released.
Investigators, however, alleged that rather than bringing peace to the community, the hostility intensified and eventually culminated in the murder of Emmanuel Nwanneniya.
According to police findings, the suspects allegedly devised a plan to lure the deceased under the guise of discussing the purchase of a large expanse of land. Believing he was meeting genuine buyers, Emmanuel Nwanneniya reportedly honoured the invitation.
It was gathered that upon his arrival, he was overpowered at gunpoint, restrained and injected multiple times with the restricted veterinary sedative before the suspects allegedly forced him to surrender access to his mobile phone and banking applications.
The victim’s wife provided investigators with one of the earliest breakthroughs in the case. According to her account, her husband had informed her that he was leaving home to inspect land with prospective buyers. When he failed to return and repeated telephone calls went unanswered, she became worried and drove to the agreed meeting point, where she found him lying motionless on the ground. Interestingly her statement, alongside digital evidence and intelligence analysis, helped investigators to trace the suspects.
During the parade in Abuja, members of the victim’s community also narrated what they described as months of threats and intimidation preceding the murder. One Chief Ejimofor told journalists that he repeatedly received threats that he would be kidnapped because he supported the decision to use the land proceeds for community development. According to him, the threats were reported to the police before Emmanuel Nwanneniya was killed, and he described the incident as a tragedy that has left the community living in fear.
The Community Youth Leader, Ikechukwu Onagor, also addressed journalists, recounting the death of his brother, whom he alleged was killed in circumstances connected to the same land dispute. He appealed to the Nigeria Police Force to thoroughly investigate the circumstances surrounding his brother’s death and determine whether it is connected to the wider conspiracy uncovered during the investigation.
Police emphasised that the separate case remains under active investigation and that no conclusions have yet been reached.
Addressing journalists, the Coordinator of the Special Tactical Squad, ACP Victor Ogbeide Godfrey, described the operation as another success for intelligence-led policing. He commended the operatives for their professionalism and acknowledged the operational support provided by the Inspector-General of Police, which enabled investigators to apprehend the suspects.
ACP Godfrey also expressed concern over the alleged ease with which the restricted veterinary sedative was obtained. He called on the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) and other regulatory agencies to strengthen oversight of controlled substances to prevent them from falling into criminal hands.
Meanwhile, the Nigeria Police Force has assured members of the public that investigations remain ongoing and that every individual connected to the alleged conspiracy will be identified and brought to justice adding that while significant evidence has been uncovered, all suspects remain presumed innocent until proven guilty by a court of competent jurisdiction.
