Pregnant Woman Gruesomely Murdered for Ritual in Ilorin, Husband’s Younger Brother Arrested

By Omowumi Omotosho and Bamidele Aremu

A tragic case of suspected ritual killing has thrown the Temidire Zone 4 community in Egbejila, Ilorin, Kwara State, into shock, following the gruesome murder of a pregnant woman, Mrs. Esther Enemo, aged 39.

The incident occurred on Thursday at the residence of her husband, Mr. Ekene Enemo. The victim, who was reportedly alone at home on Wednesday night, was later found brutally murdered and dismembered in a manner that has sent panic across the community.

Blood stained sack containing dismembered parts of the victim found in the bush behind the house

Blood stained floor 

The house where victim was murdered 

When National Pilot visited the area on Saturday, residents described the incident as horrifying and suspicious. A neighbour, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the Enemos were not well-known in the neighborhood.

“They are Igbos. We don’t really know them in particular or their occupation. They usually come at night, and sometimes it was only through the rays of light that we knew they were around. They don’t really live here,” the neigbour stated.

She further narrated how her husband, while fetching water, encountered a man wearing a facemask leaving the compound on the night of the incident.

“He challenged him, and the man removed his mask, identifying himself as the husband’s younger brother. He locked the door from outside and left. It was then my husband realized something was wrong. A woman had been in the building, but a man left. He called out to the woman from the window, but there was no response. Moments later, we discovered traces of blood in the compound. That was when we raised an alarm,” she added.

Another resident, who also requested anonymity, confirmed that when the police arrived, they searched the house before moving to clear the bush behind it.

“It was during the clearing that the woman’s lower body was discovered. From the pelvic upward was nowhere to be found,” the resident disclosed.

The victim’s husband, said to be a trader in agricultural chemicals and equipment in a border town in Kwara North, was not at home when the killing occurred.

Confirming the incident, in a press release signed by the Kwara State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), SP Adetoun Ejire-Adeyemi, the Command disclosed that detectives discovered the dismembered body of the victim in the bush behind her residence, with other body parts later recovered in a sack beneath a community bridge.

The statement read in part:
“At about 0900hrs, a resident of the area reported a suspected foul play within the residence of one Mr. Ekene Enemo. Following a swift police response, a team of detectives visited the scene, where the dismembered body of Mrs. Esther Enemo (aged 39 years) was discovered in the bush behind her residence. Further search led to the recovery of other parts of her body concealed in a sack and dumped beneath a nearby community bridge.”

The Command also confirmed the arrest of Mr. Sylvester Enemo (aged 29 years), the younger brother of the victim’s husband, who was allegedly seen leaving the house shortly before the incident was discovered. The husband, Mr. Ekene Enemo, has also been contacted by the police for further clarification.

The remains of the deceased have been evacuated to the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital (UITH) morgue for autopsy.

The Commissioner of Police, CP Ojo Adekimi, ordered a full-scale investigation, assuring that justice would be served.

While the Command deeply regrets the unfortunate incident, we appeal to members of the public to remain calm and avoid speculations capable of inciting fear or tension within the community. The Police are fully committed to unravelling the circumstances surrounding this incident and bringing all perpetrators to face the full weight of the law,” the statement added.