Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
A Delta State High Court sitting in Ogwashi-Uku has sentenced two men to death by hanging for the 2019 kidnapping and ritual murder of Elozino Joshualia Ogege, a first-class 300-level Mass Communication student of Delta State University (DELSU), Abraka, bringing to a close a nine-year legal battle that has gripped the state and the nation. Delivering judgment on Wednesday, July 29, 2026, Justice Flora Ngozi Azinge found Macaulay Desmond Oghenemaro and Enaike Onoriode guilty of conspiracy to commit kidnapping and conspiracy to commit murder, after a trial that exposed the chilling details of how the promising young student was lured to her death.
According to the prosecution, Ogege was lured with the promise of meeting an agent to secure off-campus accommodation before she was abducted and killed in what was described as a ritual murder linked to suspected "Yahoo" activities. During the trial, the convicts reportedly gave chilling accounts of how Ogege's eyes, breasts, and heart were removed while she was still alive. The court discharged and acquitted a third defendant, Nwosisi Benedict Uche, while a fourth defendant, native doctor Robinson Obajero Ojokojo, died during the course of the trial. The case experienced several delays over the years, largely due to the repeated absence of counsel representing the first defendant, before concluding after final written addresses were adopted earlier this year.
The verdict has been hailed as a landmark moment for justice in Delta State, with the Solicitor-General and Permanent Secretary of the Delta State Ministry of Justice, Omamuzo Erebe (SAN), who led the prosecution, describing the judgment as a "landmark" victory for justice. Speaking after the ruling, Erebe said the sentence sends a strong message that the state will not tolerate the heinous crime of ritual murder, and that perpetrators will face the full wrath of the law. "This judgment is a landmark victory for justice. It affirms that the judiciary remains the last hope of the common man and that no matter how long it takes, justice will always prevail," Erebe said.
The case of Elozino Ogege has become one of the most high-profile ritual murder cases in Delta State, drawing widespread public attention and outrage. Ogege, a brilliant student who was on track to graduate with first-class honours, was abducted in 2019 while seeking accommodation near the university campus. Her disappearance sparked a massive search by her family, friends, and the university community, but hopes were dashed when her body was later discovered with her vital organs removed. The gruesome nature of the crime shocked the nation and reignited debates about the prevalence of ritual killings and the involvement of young people in internet fraud, popularly known as "Yahoo Yahoo," which often drives the demand for human body parts for money rituals.
The nine-year legal battle that led to Wednesday's verdict was marked by numerous delays and frustrations. The first defendant's counsel was repeatedly absent, causing adjournments and prolonging the agony of the victim's family. However, the prosecution remained steadfast, presenting compelling evidence and witness testimony that ultimately secured the conviction of the two main perpetrators. The court's decision to acquit the third defendant, Nwosisi Benedict Uche, suggests that the evidence against him was insufficient to prove his involvement beyond reasonable doubt, while the death of the fourth defendant, native doctor Robinson Obajero Ojokojo, during the trial meant that he could not be held accountable in this life.
The sentencing of Oghenemaro and Onoriode to death by hanging is consistent with the provisions of Nigerian law for the offence of murder, which carries the maximum penalty of death. Under Section 319 of the Criminal Code Act, which applies in Southern Nigeria, any person convicted of murder is liable to be sentenced to death. However, death sentences in Nigeria are rarely carried out, with many convicts spending years on death row while awaiting the outcome of appeals or executive clemency. The last execution in Nigeria took place in 2016, when three inmates were hanged in Edo State, and since then, successive governments have maintained a de facto moratorium on the death penalty, though executions remain legally permissible.
The case has also drawn attention to the broader issue of ritual killings in Nigeria, which have become alarmingly frequent in recent years. In many cases, victims are lured, abducted, and killed for their body parts, which are then used in money rituals by individuals seeking quick wealth, often driven by the get-rich-quick mentality associated with internet fraud. The involvement of young people in such crimes has raised concerns about the moral decay in Nigerian society and the failure of the educational system to instil values of hard work and integrity. The Delta State Government has previously taken steps to combat the menace, including the establishment of a special court to try ritual murder cases, but the persistence of such crimes suggests that more needs to be done to address the root causes.
The family of Elozino Ogege, who have waited nine years for justice, have expressed relief at the verdict, though the pain of losing their daughter in such a brutal manner will never fully heal. In interviews following the judgment, family members described the long wait as agonising but expressed gratitude to the prosecution team and the judiciary for ensuring that the perpetrators were held accountable. "We have waited nine years for this day. It has been a long and painful journey, but we are grateful that justice has finally been served. Our daughter did not die in vain," a family member said.
The verdict has also been welcomed by the DELSU community, where Ogege was remembered as a brilliant and promising student. The university's Vice-Chancellor, in a statement, described the judgment as a vindication of the university's commitment to protecting its students and ensuring that those who harm them face the full consequences of their actions. The university also used the opportunity to reiterate its commitment to student safety and to call on students to be vigilant and report any suspicious activities to the authorities.
As the two convicts await the outcome of their inevitable appeals, the case of Elozino Ogege stands as a stark reminder of the darkness that lurks in the shadows of Nigerian society and the resilience of a justice system that, though slow, can still deliver when the will is there. For the people of Delta State, the verdict is a powerful affirmation that the lives of young people matter, and that those who snuff them out for selfish gain will not escape the long arm of the law. The nine-year wait for justice may have been agonising, but in the end, justice has prevailed—a testament to the determination of the prosecution, the patience of the family, and the integrity of the judiciary.
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