By The Kaduna State Police Command has arrested Manaseh Bitrus Jatau in connection with the death of his girlfriend, 35-year-old Rebecca Ojonike Jeremiah, after what authorities say began as a dispute sparked by a phone call from another woman.
How the Body Was Discovered
Jeremiah’s body was found along Mai Angwa Street in the Romi area of Kaduna at around 7am on Saturday, September 5, 2026. Police spokesperson Mansir Hassan said the discovery was first reported by the Officer-in-Charge of the Romi Outstation, prompting detectives to head to the scene immediately.
“The lifeless body of the deceased was sighted along Mai Angwa Street, Romi, with cotton wool stuffed in her nose,” Hassan said in a statement released on Friday.
Detectives rushed Jeremiah to St Gerald Hospital in Kakuri, Kaduna, where a doctor confirmed she had died. Her body has since been deposited at the hospital’s mortuary pending an autopsy.
Tracing the Suspect
Investigators established early on that Jatau had been the last person in contact with Jeremiah, and that he had invited her to meet him at Ebano Joint in Romi shortly before her death. That lead brought detectives to his workplace at Tomato Jos Company in the Maraban Jos area of Kaduna, where he was arrested.
According to Hassan, Jatau admitted during questioning to fighting with Jeremiah inside his room after she received a phone call from another woman, a confrontation that ultimately led to her death.
“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,” Hassan stated.
Hassan added that Jatau went further, confessing to dumping Jeremiah’s body in an open field near his residence in what appears to have been an effort to cover up the killing.
“He further confessed to have dumped the body in an open field close to his house in an attempt to conceal the crime,” Hassan said.
What Comes Next
Jatau remains in police custody as detectives continue piecing together the full circumstances surrounding Jeremiah’s death. Hassan confirmed that the suspect will be formally charged in court once the investigation is complete.
Kaduna State Commissioner of Police, Rabiu Muhammad, condemned the killing and called on members of the public to resolve disputes peacefully rather than resorting to violence. He reaffirmed the command’s commitment to securing justice for victims and ensuring those responsible are held accountable.
Muhammad also urged residents to cooperate with security agencies by sharing any information that could help prevent further violence and criminal activity across the state
