A hotel manager in Delta State has confessed to the shocking murder of a 22-year-old Point-of-Sale (PoS) operator, Onoriode Bethel, who was reported missing in December 2024.
The suspect, identified as Iboirode, managed Century Home Hotel in Owehlogbo, Isoko North Local Government Area. According to the Delta State Police Command, Iboirode lured Bethel into the hotel under the pretense of resolving a financial dispute. He then killed her and secretly buried her body within the hotel compound.
Delta State Police spokesperson, SP Bright Edafe, confirmed the arrest and provided details of the investigation. “The suspect murdered Bethel and buried her body on the hotel premises,” Edafe stated.
Police investigations revealed that the motive for the killing was revenge. Bethel had previously accused Iboirode of using a fake bank alert to fraudulently withdraw ₦10,000 from her account. Although she managed to recover the money, the suspect reportedly felt his reputation had been tarnished by the incident.
In a further disturbing twist, the suspect’s wife admitted to knowing about the crime. She told police, “My husband called her into the hotel; she is a friend of his. That day, he called her on the phone and took her into a room. I don’t know how he killed her because I was in our room. It was when he came out around midnight that he told me he had killed her.”
After the murder, Iboirode used Bethel’s mobile phone to contact her father and demand a ransom. He also accessed her PoS device, coercing her for the password before killing her and withdrawing money from her account.
Bethel’s disappearance on December 13, 2024, sparked concern in the community. The case gained renewed attention in March 2025, when Iboirode and other hotel staff were arrested over an unrelated murder at the same hotel.
Police say the investigation is ongoing and have assured the public that justice will be served.
The tragic incident has sent shockwaves through the Delta community, with residents calling for swift prosecution and better security measures for young business operators.
