A student has been arrested in connection with the murder of a female lecturer at the Federal University of Technology (FUT), Minna. The victim, Dr. Funmilola Sherifat Adefolalu, a lecturer in the Department of Biochemistry, was found dead in her residence in the Gbaiko area of Minna.

According to the police, the suspect, Joy Afekafe, a 14-year-old secondary school student, confessed to orchestrating the attack with two classmates, identified only as “Walex” and “Smart.” Joy had previously worked for Dr. Adefolalu as a housemaid for about three weeks. The lecturer had taken her in with the promise of sponsoring her education but later sent her away due to poor behavior.

In her confession, Joy stated that she returned to the lecturer’s house pretending to visit. Once she gained access, she called Dr. Adefolalu outside and the two other boys entered the compound. The suspects reportedly attacked the lecturer, beating her with a stool and stabbing her multiple times with both prearranged and kitchen knives. After the murder, they stole her phone, laptop and the battery from her car before fleeing the scene on a motorcycle.

The lecturer’s body was discovered the following day by church members who had gone to check on her after she failed to attend a scheduled program. They found her lying in a pool of blood, with visible stab wounds and signs of a brutal struggle. Blood stained knives were recovered at the scene by investigators.

Following intelligence gathering, Joy was arrested in Minna and taken into custody. The police have transferred the case to the State Criminal Investigation Department for further action and have launched a manhunt for her two accomplices, who remain at large.

The incident has sparked outrage within the university community and the church where the deceased served as a pastor. Calls for justice have been loud, with many describing the act as a shocking betrayal of trust and a tragic reflection of deepening moral decline in society.