FCT: How police rescued woman from ‘ritualist’

A woman was on Friday rescued from a suspected ritualist in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

In a statement on Sunday, spokesperson for the FCT Police Command, Josephine Adeh, said the 25-year-old was found unconscious with her hands and legs tied to a chair and mouth taped in the bathroom of an Abuja hotel.

Adeh said the incident happened on Friday, in Wuse, adding that the suspect was at large.

“The Federal Capital Territory Police Command has successfully rescued a young woman from the clutches of a suspected armed robber and ritualist, launching an immediate manhunt for the fleeing suspect,” she said.

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Adeh stated that the command swung into action after receiving a distress call from the hotel earlier in the day, at approximately 11:30 a.m., about a suspicious activity in one of their rooms.

The statement said: “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.

“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.

“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.

“Alarmingly, before escaping, the victim overheard him speaking to suspected accomplices over the phone, informing them that he was on his way to regroup before returning to the hotel to “finish the job.”

“Recognising the gravity of this heinous act, the FCT Police Command has launched a full-scale manhunt for the suspect and is working tirelessly to ensure his immediate arrest. The Commissioner of Police, FCT, CP Olatunji Disu, psc, strongly condemns this act of violence and urges residents—especially young women—to exercise caution when meeting individuals they do not know personally.

“The CP reassures the public that the FCT Police Command remains unwavering in its commitment to ensuring the safety and security of all residents. He also calls on anyone with relevant information that could lead to the suspect’s arrest to immediately contact the police through the following:Emergency Lines: 08032003913. Complaint Response Unit: 08107314192”