Detained within the walls of the Rivers State Criminal Investigation Department is 26-year-old Sarah Nwankpo, who finds herself in custody due to the unfortunate death of her acquaintance, Igbodike Anthony, in Port Harcourt. The series of events that led to this tragedy originated from a heated argument over an intimate encounter in Anthony’s Obiri-Ikwerre apartment.
According to Vanguard, Sarah, having dropped out of Senior Secondary School 3, left her hometown of Ezza South Local Government in Ebonyi State in 2016 in search of better opportunities. The incident unfolded four months after she relocated to Port Harcourt, prompted by continuous calls from the deceased, urging her to visit.
Recalling the events leading up to the fatal incident, Sarah shared, “I met him (late Anthony) in Enugu in 2017. In Port Harcourt, I started dating a man, Joe Ibanga.”
“But I always received calls from Anthony; sometimes he sent me money for transport. But I declined because of my relationship with Ibanga. On December 22, 2023, he called again and invited me to come over to his place.”
Describing that fateful day, Sarah narrated how she accompanied Anthony to distribute December salaries to his employees and engaged in grocery shopping. After these activities, they proceeded to his apartment, where they shared a meal and engaged in intimate moments, documented for future reference.
The story took a dark turn when Sarah disclosed her relationship with Ibanga. Initially, Anthony proposed financial stability and a managerial position in his company for Sarah if she ended things with Ibanga. However, he grew angry when she expressed a change of heart. The argument escalated, leading to physical violence and a tragic outcome.
Amidst the chaos, Sarah called her boyfriend (Ibanga) to seek assistance, but her pleas went unanswered. The struggle continued, and in a desperate act of self-defense, Sarah grabbed a detachable head from a walking cane, which had a concealed dagger and fatally stabbed Anthony.
Her attempts to flee were thwarted as Anthony tightly gripped her hair. The commotion alerted the landlord and his family, preventing her escape. The police arrived at the scene at 1 a.m. on December 23, 2023, and apprehended Sarah, who later learned of Igbodike’s death while in custody.
Following the incident, the family members of the deceased demanded answers, and the Commissioner of Police, CP Olatunji Disu, urged caution in relationships, highlighting the devastating consequences of violence. The investigation into the incident is still ongoing.
