Ayinde Kareem/

A murder suspect has accused his landlady of paying him a million naira for killing a university student inside a church in Edo.

The confession was made when the police paraded six persons arrested in connection with the rape and murder of a 100-Level Microbiology student of the University of Benin, Uwaila Vera Omozuwa, inside a Redeemed Christian Church of God building at Ihovbe quarters in Benin.

The four men and two women were paraded on Wednesday by the Commissioner of Police in Edo State, Mr Johnson Kokumo.

The suspects are Nelson Ogbebor, Akato Valentine, Tina Samuel, Mary Ade, Nosa Osabohien and Collins Ulegbe.

Ulegbe, who hails from Agbor in Ika North East Local Government Area of Delta State told reporters that the landlady, Mrs Mary Ade, paid N1million for Uwaila’s murder.

Ulegbe who attended the same church with the victim said that he was asked to wipe Uwaila’s private part with an handkerchief that would be used for a ritual to make the landlady’s business prosper.

The accused landlady, however, denied sponsoring the killing nor asking him to wipe the victim’s private part.

Kokumo said: “The matter is of great concern to the Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, who sent homicide experts to work with our policemen in Benin.

“What we are seeing today is a result of the efforts of the police to get at the root of the crime, and today, I announce to you that the perpetrators have been arrested.”

Kokumo said the post-mortem confirmed that the deceased was raped.

Omozuwa had gone to read in the church when she was attacked, raped and hit on the head with a fire extinguisher, which led to her death.