BY AJUWA VICTOR

In a shocking and gruesome incident, the lifeless body of a site engineer, Chigozie Udalor, has been exhumed by police operatives after he was allegedly murdered and buried in a shallow grave by his own workers at a fish pond construction site in Bod Camp, Akwukwu Igbo community, Delta State.

According to a press release issued by the Delta State Police Public Relations Officer, SP Bright Edafe, the case came to light on December 12, 2024 when one Hyacinth Nnalue reported to the Akwukwu Igbo Police Division that his cousin, Chigozie Udalor, had been missing since December 10.

Chigozie, who served as the site manager at the fish pond project, was declared missing under suspicious circumstances. 

Upon receiving the report, the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) launched an investigation, which was subsequently transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department following directives from the Commissioner of Police, CP Olufemi Abaniwonda.

Drawing comparisons to the earlier murder case of one Paulinus in Otokutu, the Commissioner directed CSP Aliyu Shaba, DPO of Ekpan Division, to conduct a technically driven and intelligence-led investigation. 

This led to a major breakthrough on March 31, 2025 when police arrested one David Tacho, who had attempted to withdraw money from the victim’s Moniepoint account, using his mobile phone. 

A second suspect, Daniel Orshio, was also apprehended shortly after.

Preliminary investigations revealed a chilling conspiracy involving four workers who had been employed by the deceased. 

David Tacho, his brother, Victor Tacho (currently at large), Daniel Orshio, and Pius Daniel (also at large) discovered that Chigozie had a substantial sum of money in his Moniepoint account. 

The group allegedly conspired to rob him. They reportedly struck him on the head with a hammer, tied him up, and buried him in a shallow grave at the site.

The two arrested suspects, David Tacho and Daniel Orshio, are currently in police custody, while efforts are ongoing to apprehend the remaining two suspects, Victor Tacho and Pius Daniel.

The body of the deceased has been exhumed and is awaiting autopsy as investigations continue.