Man held for killing girlfriend over HIV argument

A magistrate court in Enugu State has remanded Chibuike Okpara, a 30-year-old man. He is accused of killing his girlfriend and hiding her body in a toilet.

The police in Enugu State arrested Okpara for the crime on September 19. This happened in his apartment at Olympic Layout, One-Day Area. The victim was identified as Chinyere Ugwu, a 27-year-old graduate of Medical Laboratory Science.

Chinyere had just finished her one-year National Youth Service Corps in Port Harcourt, Rivers State. On Friday, Okpara appeared in the magistrate court. Daniel Ndukwe, the police spokesperson in Enugu State, shared this information in a statement on Saturday.

Ndukwe, a police superintendent, said Okpara's arraignment followed the end of investigations into his case. The court then ordered that he be held in a correctional facility.

The spokesperson also said the court sent the case file to the attorney-general of Enugu State through the Directorate of Public Prosecutions (DPP) for review and legal advice. However, he did not reveal which specific court handled the case.

Ndukwe did not respond to a question from PREMIUM TIMES on Saturday night about the exact court where Okpara was arraigned. The Commissioner of Police in Enugu State, Bitrus Giwa, has promised to fight violent crime and ensure quick action against offenders.

Giwa also advised young people, especially women, to be careful in their relationships and watch for signs of violence. Okpara was arrested on September 19 for killing Chinyere and hiding her body in his apartment.

He later admitted to killing her during an argument about whether he had infected her with HIV. The suspect claimed he put the body in the toilet because he was confused about what to do.

Neighbors noticed a bad smell coming from his apartment. They forced their way inside and found Chinyere's body. Okpara also confessed that he broke Chinyere's phone and SIM card to stop her family from calling her.

He mentioned that he met Chinyere on Facebook in 2023 and moved from Owerri in Imo State to Enugu in December 2025. He claimed he killed her while under the influence of drugs.