Two Nigerians, Chukwudi Okafor, 31, and Samuel Eze, 34, who are living in India, have been arrested for allegedly beating their friend, Emeka Christian, to death following a dispute over a woman in Pune, India.
It was learnt from India Today that the incident occurred in the Pisoli-Phursungi area of Pune in the early hours of Monday.
According to the report on Wednesday, the victim, a 40-year-old garment trader legally residing in India with a visa valid until 2027, had gone to the apartment of a Nigerian woman on Sunday night along with friends for a small party.
What began as a friendly gathering reportedly escalated into a heated argument over a romantic relationship involving the woman.
“One of the accused was in a relationship with the woman and used to visit her frequently. The victim objected to this, which led to a quarrel,” a police source told India Today.
The disagreement continued late into the night and escalated around 3 a.m. when Emeka decided to leave the apartment.
“The argument turned violent when the victim tried to leave. He was beaten with a hard object, causing serious injuries,” India Today quoted police sources as saying.
“As he was leaving the flat, the accused followed him to the parking area and attacked him with a hard object,” a senior police officer told India Today.
The victim reportedly collapsed after being brutally assaulted. He was rushed to a hospital by Gift Utah, the vice president of the Nigerian Students’ Union in Pune, but was declared dead while receiving treatment.
“What began as a verbal dispute turned into a fatal assault,” Senior Police Inspector Mansing Patil told India Today.
The police confirmed the arrest of the two suspects and said efforts are ongoing to track down other possible accomplices, as investigators believe up to four people may have been involved.
“The investigation is ongoing, and a manhunt has been launched for other suspects,” a police source disclosed.
This is not the first time Nigerians have been arrested for alleged murder in India.
In 2025, the police arrested two Nigerians, Ayoola Babajide and Oghene Igere, over the alleged killing of their friend, also a Nigerian, Lucky Ikechukwu Ijeh.