Police arrest man over girlfriend’s death after phone call dispute

The Kaduna State Police Command has arrested Manaseh Jatau in connection with the death of his 35-year-old girlfriend, Rebecca Jeremiah, following an alleged altercation over a phone call involving another woman.

Jeremiah was found dead along Mai Angwa Street in the Romi area of Kaduna at about 7am on Saturday, September 5, 2026, according to the police.

The command’s Public Relations Officer, Mansir Hassan, disclosed this in a statement issued on Friday.

Hassan said the Officer-in-Charge of the Romi Outstation reported the discovery, after which detectives were immediately deployed to the scene.

He said, “The lifeless body of the deceased was sighted along Mai Angwa Street, Romi, with cotton wool stuffed in her nose.”

The police spokesman said officers took Jeremiah to St Gerald Hospital, Kakuri, Kaduna, where a doctor confirmed her death.

He added that her remains had been deposited at the hospital mortuary pending an autopsy.

According to Hassan, preliminary investigations indicated that Jatau was the last person to have contact with Jeremiah and had asked her to meet him at Ebano Joint, Romi.

He said, “The suspect was subsequently traced and arrested at his place of work, Tomato Jos Company, Maraban Jos Area, Kaduna.”

Hassan stated that the suspect allegedly admitted during interrogation that he had an altercation with Jeremiah in his room after a phone call from another woman.

The PPRO stated, “During interrogation, the suspect confessed to having had a fight with the deceased in his room over a phone call from another lady, which resulted in her death.”

He further said the suspect allegedly confessed to disposing of Jeremiah’s body in an open field near his residence in an attempt to hide the alleged crime.

Hassan said, “He further confessed to have dumped the body in an open field close to his house in an attempt to conceal the crime.”

The suspect remains in police custody while detectives continue investigating the circumstances surrounding Jeremiah’s death.

Hassan said Jatau would be charged to court after the conclusion of the investigation.

Meanwhile, the Commissioner of Police, Rabiu Muhammad, according to the statement, “condemns all acts of violence and urges members of the public to embrace peaceful resolution of disputes.”

(PUNCH)