The body of a pregnant woman was found hanging from a cashew tree along the Uke-Ideani Road, in Idemili North Local Government Area of Anambra State on Tuesday.
Though, the identity of the woman remains unknown, and the circumstances surrounding her death are still unclear.
While initial assumptions might suggest suicide, many residents believe it was a case of foul play.
Locals who spoke with PREMIUM TIMES alleged that the woman may have been killed and then hanged to stage a fake suicide scene.
One resident, who identified himself simply as Chijioke, said the body was seen in the wee hours of Tuesday.
“Before we went to bed on Monday night, we did not see anybody hanging on the tree. So, this must have happened either in the middle of the night or very early this morning,” he said.
“We couldn’t identify the face before some police personnel came and took the body of the woman.”
Meanwhile, the Commissioner of Police in Anambra State, Ikioye Orutugu, confirmed the development, according to a statement issued by the spokesman of the command, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, on Tuesday.
Mr Orutugu said what happened was suspected to be murder, not suicide.
The police commissioner described the incident as unfortunate and a stark example of “man’s inhumanity to man.”
He appealed to both community and local government leaders to assist with information that can aid in apprehending the killers.
The police chief said he had ordered a thorough investigation into the incident.
