TWO Nigerian men, Chukwudi Okafor, 31, and Samuel Eze, 34, living in India, have been arrested for allegedly killing their friend, Emeka Christian, following a dispute over a woman in Pune, India.
According to reports from India Today, the incident occurred in the Pisoli-Phursungi area during the early hours of Monday.
The victim, a 40-year-old garment trader legally residing in India with a visa valid until 2027, had attended a small gathering at the apartment of a Nigerian woman along with friends on Sunday night.
The meeting reportedly escalated into an argument over a romantic relationship involving the woman.
One of the accused was in a relationship with the woman, which the victim opposed. The disagreement intensified around 3 a.m. when Emeka attempted to leave the apartment, prompting the accused to follow him to the parking area and assault him with a hard object.
The victim collapsed from his injuries and was rushed to a hospital by Gift Utah, vice president of the Nigerian Students’ Union in Pune, but was pronounced dead on arrival.
Police confirmed the arrest of Okafor and Eze and indicated that a manhunt is ongoing for other potential accomplices, believed to number up to four.
Senior Police Inspector Mansing Patil described the incident as “a verbal dispute that escalated into a fatal assault.”
This is not the first time Nigerians have been arrested in India over alleged murder.
In 2025, two Nigerians, Ayoola Babajide and Oghene Igere, were detained for allegedly killing a fellow Nigerian, Lucky Ikechukwu Ijeh.