NNPC Staff Murdered after Taxi Ambush

Mr Emefiele

Nine people have been arrested for the murder of Sylvester Emefiele, who worked at the Transformation Office of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) in Abuja.

Mr Emefiele had arrived from Lagos to Abuja on September 23 2012 but was reported missing that evening by his wife, Ngozi, who could no longer reach him after he texted her to say he was in Gwagwalada.

The authorities used the victim’s mobile phone to track down one of suspects, who revealed that he had bought the Blackberry handset from a cab driver who was later arrested along with all the other suspects.

Police discovered that Emefiele had been robbed in a taxi he had entered, his laptop was stolen and N180, 000 withdrawn from his account by the thieves, who used a hammer as a weapon and forced him to disclose the PIN number to his three ATM cards.

A native doctor who had prepared a charm which the robbers used to subdue the victim was also arrested.

According to the Deputy Commissioner of the Federal Special Anti-Robbery Squad (FSARS), Chris Ezike, the victim died of his injuries and was abandoned in the bush along Idu at Airport Road, just eight kilometres from Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport junction.

Forensic experts confirmed that a decomposed corpse that was later found there was the late Emefiele.