A manager of Century Home Hotel, Iboirode, has confessed to the brutal murder of 22-year-old Onoriode Bethel, a vibrant Point-of-Sale (POS) operator whose disappearance in December 2024 haunted her loved ones. What began as a financial dispute spiraled into a chilling act of vengeance, culminating in a shallow grave within the hotel’s grounds.
It all started with a seemingly petty accusation. Onoriode, known for her sharp wit and hustle, called out Iboirode for allegedly swiping N10,000 from her account using a fake bank alert. She managed to recover her money, but the confrontation left Iboirode seething. To him, his reputation was worth more than the cash and he was willing to kill to protect it. On December 13, 2024, he lured Onoriode to his hotel under the pretense of settling their dispute. What she didn’t know was that she was walking into a trap.
According to Delta State Police spokesperson SP Bright Edafe, Iboirode’s plan was cold and calculated. Once inside the hotel, he murdered Onoriode in a fit of rage. But the horror didn’t end there. In a twisted move, Iboirode used her phone to contact her father, demanding a ransom as if she were still alive. He even coerced Onoriode into revealing her POS password before her death, withdrawing the very money that sparked their feud. Then, with chilling audacity, he buried her body on the hotel premises, hoping the earth would keep his secret.
For months, Onoriode’s disappearance remained a mystery. Her family clung to hope, unaware their daughter’s life had been snuffed out just steps from a bustling hotel. The case might have stayed cold if not for a stroke of fate. In March 2025, Iboirode was arrested for an unrelated crime - the murder of Pastor Sunday Ogofotha. During the investigation, police uncovered a damning clue: a POS machine linked to Onoriode in Iboirode’s possession. The discovery cracked the case wide open.
The breakthrough came on May 13, 2025, when Iboirode’s wife, wracked with guilt, confessed to police. She recounted the night her husband lured Onoriode to the hotel, claiming she was a “friend.” Later, Iboirode emerged from a room, his face pale, and admitted to his wife that he’d killed the young woman. Her confession led police to Onoriode’s remains, buried in the hotel’s backyard, a grim discovery that brought closure and anguish to her family.
The community is now grappling with the betrayal of a man they trusted. “He was always so polite,” a local shopkeeper told us, shaking her head. “Who could imagine he was capable of this?” Onoriode’s father, devastated, has been left to mourn a daughter whose life was cut short over a petty grudge. “She was my light,” he said, his voice breaking.
SP Edafe, taking to X to share the police’s resolve, assured the public that justice is coming. “This is a heinous crime, and we will ensure the perpetrator faces the full weight of the law,” he posted on May 13, 2025. As the investigation continues, questions linger: How did Iboirode evade suspicion for so long? And what other secrets might the hotel hold?
For now, Owhelogbo mourns a young woman whose life was stolen in a moment of vengeance. Onoriode’s story is a stark reminder that evil can lurk behind the most unassuming faces, waiting for a spark to ignite its wrath. As the town whispers her name, one thing is clear: her memory will not be buried as easily as her killer hoped.
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