Suspected assassins have murdered Wendy Achumba, a female student of the College of Nursing Umulogho, in Obowo LGA of Imo state.

The State Police Command said Thursday that it has intensified investigations into the gruesome murder of the female student in order to apprehend the killers.

Reports indicate that the student, who was said to be done with her midwifery but on post basic training, was killed in her apartment on Thursday.

The deceased hails from Isiala-Ngwa in Abia state, but details of her death were still sketchy as of the time of filing this report.

Confirming the development, the Imo state police command said it has launched a manhunt for the killers.

“The Command is aware of the tragic incident involving the death of a female student of the College of Nursing, Umulogho, whose body was discovered in her private off-campus apartment,” Henry Okoye, spokesperson for the command, said in a statement on Friday.

Okoye added that following the report, the DPO and operatives promptly visited the scene for an on-the-spot assessment, after which the body was recovered and deposited at the morgue.

Okoye said investigation has commenced to unravel the circumstances surrounding the incident and arrest those responsible.

He noted that the command has arrested one suspect, who is currently undergoing preliminary questioning.

“Consequently, the Command appeals to students and members of the public to remain calm, assuring that the situation is under control and that every effort is being made to ensure those behind the act are brought to justice,” the statement added.

The Minister of Works, David Umahi, has urged political stakeholders in the South-East to rally behind President Bola Ahmed Tinubu ahead of the 2027 general elections, warning that failure to do so could affect the region’s access to federal development projects.

Umahi made the remark while addressing concerns around federal infrastructure delivery and political alignment in the South-East, stressing that the region stands to benefit more under continued cooperation with the current administration.

According to him, the Tinubu-led government has already committed substantial resources to ongoing road and infrastructure projects across the South-East, including major highways, bridges, and rehabilitation works, which he said reflect unprecedented federal attention to the region in recent years.

The minister argued that political alignment remains critical in ensuring continuity and expansion of such projects, insisting that opposition politics could weaken the region’s influence in national decision-making and project allocation.

He maintained that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has demonstrated what he described as “inclusive governance” through appointments and infrastructure investments, adding that the South-East should adopt a more strategic political approach rather than confrontational positioning ahead of 2027.

Umahi also reiterated his belief that the South-East would overwhelmingly support Tinubu’s re-election bid, insisting that ongoing projects and federal presence in the region would naturally translate into political appreciation.

His comments are the latest in a series of strong endorsements of the President by the Works Minister, who has consistently pointed to major federal road projects in the region as evidence of what he calls renewed attention to South-East development.

The statement is expected to generate political debate, especially among opposition figures and stakeholders in the region who have continued to question the distribution of federal projects and political inclusiveness.

As the 2027 elections draw closer, analysts say such remarks highlight the growing early political positioning within Nigeria’s major geopolitical zones, particularly in the South-East where electoral competition remains highly contested.

A woman has passed out after she and her partner were each flogged 100 times in public for engaging in sex outside marriage under strict Sharia laws in Indonesia’s Aceh province.

The woman, whose identity was not disclosed, was later carried away after the punishment was carried out in Banda Aceh, located at the northern tip of Sumatra island on Thursday.

A masked official dressed in brown robes administered the caning before members of the public who gathered to witness the punishment.

Her partner was also seen wincing in pain while receiving the lashes.

The pair were among several individuals punished for violating Sharia regulations in the province.

Authorities from the Banda Aceh Sharia Court and the Prosecutor’s Office handed down punishments ranging from 25 to 100 lashes for offences including extramarital sex allegedly arranged through online applications.

Aceh remains the only province in Muslim-majority Indonesia operating under Sharia law, where unmarried couples are prohibited from having sexual relations.

Caning is commonly used in the province as punishment for offences such as gambling, alcohol consumption, same-sex relations and sex outside marriage.

Under Aceh’s Sharia regulations, child rape offenders face some of the harshest penalties, including up to 200 strokes of the cane, a prison sentence of as long as 200 months or fines equivalent to two kilograms of gold.

The punishments are usually carried out publicly as a way of shaming offenders in addition to inflicting physical pain.

Such canings are often conducted outside mosques or in open public spaces, with residents watching and taking photographs during the exercise.

Human rights organisations have continued to condemn the practice, arguing that it causes emotional trauma and violates international human rights standards.

Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch have repeatedly criticised the punishments, saying they conflict with Indonesia’s constitution and global legal obligations.

Amnesty said in a statement: “Caning contravenes Indonesia’s constitution and is in clear violation of international human rights law and standards.

‘It constitutes a cruel, inhuman and degrading punishment and can amount to torture in violation of the UN Convention against Torture and other international covenants, to which Indonesia is a State Party.’”

Despite the criticism, local authorities have defended the punishments as part of Aceh’s religious and cultural identity, insisting they serve as a deterrent against immoral behaviour.

Earlier in January, another couple in the province reportedly received 140 lashes each after being found guilty of drinking alcohol and engaging in sex outside marriage. (Daily Mail)