Police rescue woman from suspected ritualist in Abuja

The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) police command says its operatives have rescued a woman from suspected armed robber and ritualist.

A statement on Sunday by Josephine Adeh, FCT police spokesperson, said the victim was rescued on Friday at a hotel in Wuse area of Abuja.

Adeh said the 25-year-old victim, identified as Promise Eze, was found unconscious after she was tied up inside the hotel bathroom by the suspect whom she had met online.

“On January 31, 2025, at approximately 11:30 AM, the Command received a distress call from a hotel in the Wuse area of the FCT, reporting suspicious activity in one of their rooms,” the statement reads.

“Responding swiftly, police operatives arrived at the scene and discovered a 25-year-old woman, Promise Eze, from Ebonyi State, tied to a small chair with her mouth covered in plaster.

“She was found unconscious and in distress. Officers acted immediately, freeing her from captivity and rushing her to Wuse District Hospital, where she was resuscitated.”

The police spokesperson added that the suspect who identified as Emmanuel Okoro fled the scene of the incident after stealing two of the victim’s mobile phones.

“Preliminary investigations revealed a disturbing pattern of deception and violence. The victim had checked into the hotel a day earlier, on January 30, 2025, at about 7:00 AM, in the company of a man who identified himself as Emmanuel Okoro from Lagos State,” she said.

“However, during police questioning, the victim disclosed that she had met the suspect online, where he introduced himself under the alias Michael Prince, claiming to be an oil company employee based in Delta state. Initially, he invited her to Delta, but after she declined, they agreed to meet in Abuja.

“Tragically, what was meant to be an innocent meeting turned into a harrowing ordeal, the suspect allegedly brandished a dagger, using it to threaten and subdue the victim before restraining her by tying her hands and legs and taping her mouth shut inside the bathroom. He then fled the scene, stealing her two mobile phones.”

Olatunji Disu, the FCT commisioner for police, said the command has launched a manhunt to apprehend the suspect.

Disu urged young women to exercise caution when meeting individuals they do not know personally,

He called on anyone with relevant information that could lead to the arrest of the suspect to report to the nearest police station.