A Delta State High Court sitting in Ogwashi-Uku has sentenced two men to death by hanging over the gruesome murder of Miss Elozino Ogege, a student of Delta State University (DELSU), Abraka, bringing to a close one of the state’s most shocking criminal cases after nearly eight years.
The convicted persons, Desmond Macaulay Oghenemaro and Enaike Onoriode, were found guilty of their roles in the killing of the undergraduate, whose death in 2018 sparked widespread outrage across Nigeria and renewed concerns over ritual-related crimes.
Delivering judgment, Justice F. N. Azinge held that the prosecution proved its case beyond reasonable doubt and sentenced the two defendants to death by hanging.
However, the court discharged and acquitted the second defendant, Nwonsisi Benedict Uche, of all eight charges brought against him after finding insufficient evidence to establish his involvement in the crime.
The judgment, delivered on Thursday, marks the end of a prolonged legal battle that attracted significant public attention and repeated calls for justice from civil society groups, students, and human rights advocates.
Miss Elozino Ogege was brutally murdered in 2018 in a case that shocked the nation. Investigators revealed that her attackers mutilated her body, removing her heart and plucking out her eyes in what prosecutors described as a ritual killing.
During the trial, it also emerged that a herbalist allegedly instructed the suspects to obtain human body parts for ritual purposes in exchange for promised wealth. The herbalist reportedly died while in custody before the conclusion of the trial.
The Delta State Solicitor-General, Omamuzo Erebe, SAN, led the prosecution team, presenting evidence that ultimately secured the convictions.
Reacting to the verdict, the Senior Special Assistant to the Delta State Governor on Human Rights, Comrade Kelvin Ejumudo, described the judgment as a victory for justice and the rule of law.
He said the decision demonstrated that although the judicial process was lengthy, justice had eventually been served.
According to him, the outcome reaffirmed the importance of perseverance in the pursuit of justice, noting that the voices of citizens demanding accountability had finally been heard.
Ejumudo, who also serves as National Secretary of the Human Rights Protection Congress (HRPC) and Director of Human Rights and Social Justice, commended the Delta State Ministry of Justice, the Nigeria Police Force, Delta State Command, and members of the prosecution team for their commitment throughout the lengthy trial.
He also praised media organisations and concerned Nigerians who consistently kept public attention on the case and advocated for justice on behalf of the late student and her family.
The murder of Elozino Ogege remains one of the most disturbing ritual killing cases involving a university student in Nigeria. The incident generated nationwide condemnation and intensified calls for stronger action against ritual-related crimes and those who sponsor them.
With the court’s judgment, many observers believe a significant chapter in the long search for justice has finally come to an end, even as renewed appeals continue for intensified efforts to combat ritual killings and protect vulnerable citizens across the country.
