Man chains sister for 16 months in Abuja

Federal Capital Territory police have arrested a man for allegedly holding his sister captive in chains for over 16 months in Abuja. The FCT Commissioner of Police, Ahmed Sanusi, described the discovery as one of the most dehumanizing scenes his officers had encountered.

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Upon receipt of the report, I immediately dispatched a team of detectives from Katempe Division to the scene.

Police were alerted on June 12, 2026, by a distress call about Grace Aniekuoku, 36, being held in chains inside a room by her brother, Chinedu Aniekuoku. When officers arrived, the suspect initially resisted entry. Commissioner Sanusi ordered his team to use police powers of ingress and liberation to gain access.

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I ordered that they should invoke the police powers of ingress and liberation to gain access into the premises.

Upon entering the residence, officers found the victim in a shocking condition. "The victim was seen in a highly dehumanizing condition, where she had stayed for this long in her own faeces and excreta," Sanusi stated. He added that she was emaciated, and her hair had grown extensively. The victim was immediately hospitalized, and her survival is uncertain.

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The victim was seen in a highly dehumanizing condition, where she had stayed for this long in her own faeces and excreta.

Investigations suggest a disturbing motive: the suspect allegedly took the victim's son two years ago and then confined his sister to prevent her from inquiring about the child's location. Police suspect the child may have been used for ritual sacrifice. Efforts are underway to locate the missing child. The suspect remains in custody pending the conclusion of the investigation and subsequent charges.

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The suspect had forcefully taken away the victim’s son to an unknown location about two years ago and subsequently kept his sister in confinement to prevent her from raising any questions regarding the whereabouts of the child, who may have been used for sacrifice.