A devastating crime has shaken the Federal University, Lokoja, in Kogi state, as a 20-year-old man, Paul Jeremiah, has been arrested for the murder of a 100-level female student. The victim, 19-year-old Damilola, was kidnapped and brutally killed, with her vital organs removed allegedly for ritual purposes.
According to the state police command’s spokesman, SP William Aya, Jeremiah was arrested on Wednesday in Lokoja and is currently being investigated. The suspect, an indigene of Kaduna state, confessed to the crime in a viral video, claiming he acted alone.
The events leading up to the tragic incident began on September 4, 2024, when Damilola was reported missing. Sources revealed that Jeremiah had kidnapped her in Felele-Lokoja and took her to an uncompleted building in the area. He contacted her family, demanding an initial ransom of N400,000, which they paid in hopes of securing her release.
However, Jeremiah was not satisfied with the initial payment and demanded an additional N10 million from the family. It was during his attempt to collect the second ransom that he was tracked down by police and arrested.
In the viral video, Jeremiah led security operatives to a shallow grave in the bush where he had left Damilola’s remains. He confessed to strangling her, stating that he killed her because she had seen his face after the abduction.
The arrest and confession of Jeremiah have brought some closure to the family and friends of Damilola, but the incident has left a dark stain on the community. The police are continuing their investigation to ensure that justice is served.
