The Federal Capital Territory Police Command has revealed new details surrounding the death of a man whose body was discovered under the Katampe Bridge along the Kubwa Expressway in Abuja.
According to the FCT Commissioner of Police, Ahmed Muhammed Sanusi, the deceased had allegedly died inside a hotel room in Gwarimpa before his body was later transported and dumped under the bridge.
Sanusi disclosed the development while briefing journalists in Abuja, explaining that the deceased had earlier been reported missing by his family.
His body was discovered at about 9:00 a.m. on August 26, after which police commenced an investigation to determine what happened to him.
The commissioner said investigators eventually traced the deceased’s last known contact to a woman identified as Mrs Rukayat Muhammed of Garki Area 2, whom police said was allegedly in a romantic relationship with him.
According to the police account, the deceased and Muhammed had checked into Good Samaritan Guest House on 2nd Avenue, Gwarimpa.
Sanusi said the woman allegedly discovered that the man was no longer breathing while they were inside the hotel room.
Rather than immediately report the matter to the police, she allegedly took the deceased’s mobile phone and left the hotel.
The missing phone subsequently became an important lead in the investigation as police worked to establish the last person who had communicated with the deceased.
Sanusi said the investigation eventually led officers to Muhammed, whose contact with the deceased reportedly helped investigators reconstruct his final movements.
The commissioner further disclosed that hotel management later attempted to contact the occupants of the room but received no response.
After access was eventually gained into the room, the deceased was reportedly found inside.
Sanusi said two members of the hotel management, identified as Ibrahim Omeiza and Kefat Bitrus, allegedly removed the body from the room instead of contacting the police.
The two men were accused of transporting the body to the Kubwa Expressway near the Katampe under-bridge, where it was allegedly dumped by the roadside.
The discovery of the body had initially generated speculation among residents and online users, with some reports linking the incident to possible kidnapping or “one chance” robbery.
However, the police said they did not rely on those assumptions and instead began a detailed investigation after the man’s family reported him missing.
Investigators subsequently established that the body found under the bridge belonged to the missing man.
The police commissioner stressed that the exact cause and circumstances of the man’s death had not yet been established.
“Let me make it clear that investigations are still ongoing. The exact cause and circumstances of the deceased’s death are still under investigation,” Sanusi said.
He added that anyone found to have played a role in the man’s death, concealment or abandonment of his body would face the law.
The commissioner also warned members of the public against withholding information or interfering with police investigations.
Meanwhile, the FCT Police Command disclosed that its Anti-Kidnapping Unit had recovered two AK-47 rifles and two magazines during a separate investigation into a suspected kidnapping syndicate.
According to Sanusi, a suspect identified as Musbahu Ishak led police operatives to a hideout in Kagarko Forest, where the weapons were recovered.
The police team was reportedly ambushed while leaving the area.
Sanusi urged residents to remain vigilant and report suspicious activities to security agencies, stressing that cooperation between residents and security personnel remains important in tackling crime.
