The Kaduna State Police Command has arrested a man, Manaseh Bitrus Jatau, over the death of his girlfriend, 35-year-old Rebecca Jeremiah, in the Romi area of the State.
The Police Public Relations Officer, Mansir Hassan, in a statement issued on Friday, said the woman was found with cotton wool stuffed into her nostrils along Mai Angwa Street, Romi, at about 7am on September 5, 2026, prompting detectives from the Romi Outstation to begin an investigation into the circumstances surrounding her death.
He explained that the police evacuated the body to St Gerald Hospital, Kakuri, where a medical doctor confirmed her death, and her remains were subsequently deposited at the hospital mortuary for autopsy.
Hassan said that preliminary investigation established that Jatau was the last person known to have called Jeremiah to meet him at Ebano Joint in Romi, which led detectives to trace Jatau to his workplace at Tomato Jos Company in the Maraban Jos area of Kaduna, where he was arrested.
During interrogation, police alleged that Jatau confessed to having a physical confrontation with Jeremiah in his room following a phone call she received from another woman.
The command said the suspect claimed the confrontation resulted in Jeremiah’s death.
Hassan further alleged that Jatau confessed to moving the woman’s body to an open field near his residence in an attempt to conceal the circumstances surrounding her death.
The police did not disclose the precise cause of death pending the outcome of the autopsy.
meanwhile, Jatau remains in police custody while detectives continue their investigation, with the command saying he will be charged to court after the investigation is concluded.
The case comes amid continuing concerns over violence against women and girls in Kaduna State, where official and civil society interventions have increasingly focused on strengthening reporting, referral and justice mechanisms.
Kaduna authorities have also recently introduced toll-free gender-based violence hotlines, a referral directory and referral protocol aimed at improving access to services and strengthening responses to Gender based violence cases.
In June, police arraigned 24 suspects over the mob killing of a woman in Maraban Jos after she was allegedly accused, without evidence, of child theft. The suspects faced charges including criminal conspiracy and culpable homicide.
Police Commissioner Rabiu Muhammad condemned Jeremiah’s death and urged residents to resolve disputes peacefully rather than resorting to violence.
He assured residents that the command would pursue the investigation and ensure that anyone found responsible is brought to justice.
