The Anambra State Police Command have arrested two suspects in connection with the gruesome murder of three relatives in Ukpor, Nnewi South Local Government Area. The victims were allegedly killed and buried in a shallow grave following a protracted dispute over a piece of family land.

The suspects, identified as Emmanuel Nnabueze Nnakezie (33) and an accomplice, were apprehended on May 3, 2026, by operatives of the Rapid Response Squad (RRS), Awkuzu. The arrest followed a discreet investigation into the disappearance of the three family members, whose remains were eventually located and exhumed for autopsy.

Police reports suggest that the suspects allegedly conspired to eliminate the relatives to gain undisputed control over the contested land.

The Command revealed that the primary suspect, Nnakezie, had been in a long-standing legal and physical tussle with the victims before the situation turned fatal.

The Commissioner of Police, CP Ikioye Orutugu, condemned the act as “barbaric and inhumane,” stressing that no amount of property justifies the taking of human life. He assured the public that the case would be prosecuted diligently to ensure justice for the deceased and their surviving family members.

This incident has once again brought the issue of violent land disputes in the Southeast to the forefront. Community leaders in Ukpor have expressed shock and called for a more effective communal dispute-resolution mechanism to prevent such domestic tragedies.

The suspects are currently in custody at the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) in Awka, where they are undergoing further interrogation. They are expected to be charged in court once preliminary investigations are concluded.