Mysteries Naija
Mysteries Naija is a true crime podcast focused on Nigerian cases. It covers cold cases, notorious trials, and other mysteries with a factual and respectful approach that puts victims first. The show aims to uncover the complete narrative behind the headlines, one episode at a time. Listeners can contact the podcast with story tips at contact@mysteriesnaija.com.
Episodes
Nigerian Kidnappings That Never Happened
They disappeared. Their families panicked. Then came the ransom demand. Except there was one problem. Some of these people allegedly had never been kidnapped. In Nigeria, police have uncovered cases where people allegedly staged their own abductions, recruited friends or relatives to play kidnappers, recorded fake distress videos and demanded money from the very families who were desperately tryin
Mysteries Naija Special: She Grants Favors, Then You Belong To Her — The Mystery of Mami Wata
Mami Wata is one of the most famous and feared water spirits in Africa. Beautiful woman. Long hair. Snakes around her body. Wealth, healing and good fortune on one side, sickness, misfortune and death on the other. Across Nigeria, especially in the southeast, stories of mysterious encounters with water spirits have existed for generations. Some people believe Mami Wata can change a person's life,
She Risked It All To Rescue Her "Maid" — Monique Pearls (Monica Owunaka)
Monique Pearls, born Monica Oma Owunaka, was a 30-year-old Nigerian content creator whose life revolved around family, motherhood and the people she cared for.But behind the content was a story involving a young girl named Precious, family conflict, and events that would later become difficult to ignore.Then, in May 2026, Monique suddenly died.In this episode, we look at Monica Owunaka’s story, th
108 Passengers Die At An Airport On A 1-Hour Domestic Flight (Sosoliso Airline Crash)
On December 10, 2005, Sosoliso Airlines Flight 1145 left Abuja for Port Harcourt carrying families, adults, and dozens of students from Loyola Jesuit College. The flight never landed at its destination. What happened at Port Harcourt International Airport would become one of Nigeria's most devastating aviation disasters. Among the passengers were 61 Loyola students, remembered by their school
7-Year-Old Orphan Left To Raise Herself For 3 Years (Affiong Sunday)
A child should never have to figure out how to survive on their own. But at just 7 years old, Affiong Sunday was left to fend for herself, beginning a three-year period in which she had to navigate life without the care and protection a child should have been able to depend on. The story eventually reached Lucky Udu, whose intervention brought Affiong's situation to the attention of a much wid
"Let's Do It Again" Terrorists Abduct 110 Schoolgirls (The Dapchi Girls)
Just four years after 276 Chibok schoolgirls were abducted, another Nigerian school became the scene of a mass kidnapping. On February 19, 2018, Boko Haram terrorists stormed the Government Girls' Science and Technical College in Dapchi, Yobe State, and took 110 schoolgirls. Parents waited for answers. Authorities gave conflicting information. The country watched another group of schoolgirls d
276 Schoolgirls Abducted By Terrorists For Marriage (The Chibok Girls)
The girls had been preparing for their final examinations when Boko Haram fighters stormed the school, set buildings on fire and forced the students into waiting trucks. Some managed to escape before they were taken into captivity. For the others, the journey led deep into the forest. Then the world learned what had happened. #BringBackOurGirls became a global campaign. Governments got involved. N
“Your Baby Died and Scattered” — Did My Doctor Steal My Twin? (Eunice Bright Ekwok)
After giving birth by C-section at a maternity clinic in Abuja, Eunice Bright Ekwok woke up to find that she had been given only one baby. She was told her other child had died during delivery. But Eunice couldn't let it go. Months later, she says she saw a baby with the wife of the doctor who delivered her. The child was around the same age as her own baby, and something about him made her qu
1,500 Brides. 1,500 Grooms. One Government-Funded Wedding (Kano 2026 Mass Wedding)
On August 7, 2026, Kano State brought together 1,500 brides and 1,500 grooms for its annual government-backed mass wedding programme, known as Auren Gata. The state provided dowries, household items and financial support to help the couples begin their new lives. Among the newlyweds were widows, divorcees and young women who could not afford the traditional cost of marriage. And behind it all was
“I Just Want To Die” Says Killer Boyfriend Pleading Not Guilty (Augusta Osedion Part 2)
The first episode ended with Augusta Osedion dead inside her boyfriend's apartment and Killaboi gone. After Augusta Osedion's body was discovered, Killaboi disappeared from Nigeria. For months, the case continued to unfold online as questions grew about what happened between the couple and what led to Augusta's death. Eventually, Killaboi was arrested and brought back to Nigeria. Now,
He Said He'd "Mistakenly" Stabbed His Girlfriend Then Confessed Online (Augusta Osedion Part 1)
In July 2023, 21-year-old Augusta Osedion had an argument with her boyfriend, Benjamin Best Nnayereugo, better known online as Killaboi. Then Augusta stopped answering her family's calls. What followed was a search that ended inside her boyfriend's apartment in Ajah, Lagos, where police discovered her decomposing body while Killaboi fled Nigeria. In this episode, we trace Augusta Osedion&#
He Sold A Fake Airport For $242 Million — and They Actually Paid Him (Emmanuel Nwude)
What if someone offered you a chance to invest in a brand-new airport in Nigeria's capital?Now imagine discovering the airport didn't exist.In the 1990s, Nigerian businessman and former Union Bank director Emmanuel Nwude convinced Nelson Sakaguchi, a director at Brazil's Banco Noroeste, that Abuja was getting a new airport. Nwude used a false identity and a completely fictitious projec
The Most Hated Family in Nigeria and What They Did to Ochanya (Ochanya Ogbanje)
Ochanya Ogbanje lived through something no child should ever have experienced.At just seven years old, her life was allegedly placed in the hands of people who were supposed to protect her. Years later, Ochanya was dead, and the circumstances surrounding her life and death would trigger outrage across Nigeria. What happened inside that family? How did a child endure years of suffering without bein
Young Bride Murders Husband Just 9 Days After Their Wedding (Saudat Jibril)
Nine days. That was all the time Saudat Jibril and her husband had as a married couple before their marriage ended tragically. According to investigators, Saudat Jibril slit her newly wedded husband's throat inside their home, sending shockwaves through the community. The case quickly became one of Nigeria's most disturbing newlywed murder cases, raising questions about what could have hap
25-Year-Old Model Tortured to Death by Friends Over a Stolen iPhone 12 Accusation (Ibrahim Mbaya)
At just 25 years old, Ibrahim Pilasar Mbaya was accused of stealing an iPhone 12. Instead of being handed over to the police, he was allegedly held captive, brutally tortured by people he knew, and beaten for hours. By the time the violence stopped, Ibrahim was dead.The case sparked outrage across Nigeria, raising serious questions about jungle justice, mob violence, and why accusations continue t
Husband Stabbed 44 Times by His Wife (Maryam Sanda)
A young couple. A high-profile family. A marriage that ended in one of Nigeria's most shocking homicide cases.In November 2017, Bilyaminu Bello was stabbed 44 times inside his Abuja home. His wife, Maryam Sanda, was arrested, charged with murder. The case drew nationwide attention, not only because of the brutality of the killing, but because it raised difficult conversations about domestic vi
Mysteries Naija Special: The Legend of The Woman in The Red High Heel (Madam Koi Koi)
There are stories Nigerian students have heard for generations.A woman in red heel.The sound of koi... koi... koi... echoing through an empty school corridor.And if you hear those footsteps coming closer, you're supposed to shut your eyes tighter than ever.They call her Madam Koi Koi, the ghost said to haunt Nigerian boarding schools, appearing late at night and terrifying students who cross her p
One Murder. One Facebook Comment. One Innocent Student in Jail (Theodore Awoh & Uwaila Omozuwa)
A young university student went to church to study for her exams. She never made it home.As Nigeria mourned Uwaila Omozuwa, anger spread across social media. Millions wanted justice. Then one Facebook comment changed another student's life forever.Theodore Awoh, a fellow UNIBEN student, suddenly found himself at the centre of a nationwide manhunt after internet users linked him to a controvers
"She's Too Ugly To Be R*ped" — The Internet's Sickest Reaction (Favor Agbro)
She was only 20 years old.Favour Agbro, a nursing student from Delta State, believed she was travelling to Asaba for an opportunity to learn content creation and grow her online career. Instead, her journey ended in tragedy.Before her death, Favour recorded a heartbreaking video in which she described what she alleged had happened to her after meeting a locally popular content creator known as Odo
Mysteries Naija Traila
Some stories refuse to stay buried.From chilling murders and unsolved disappearances to fraud, cults, corruption, urban legends, and the mysteries that have haunted Nigeria for decades, Mysteries Naija takes you beyond the headlines and into the stories that still leave questions unanswered.This is more than true crime. It's a journey into Nigeria's darkest mysteries, where every episode u
The Face Of Bravery (Dele Giwa)
It looked like an ordinary package.On the morning of October 19, 1986, renowned Nigerian journalist and Newswatch co-founder Dele Giwa received a parcel at his home in Lagos. Moments after opening it, a powerful explosion tore through the room, making him the first prominent Nigerian known to have been killed by a letter bomb.Nearly four decades later, the assassination remains one of Nigeria'
Would a Military Doctor Play With Fire? (Samson & Retyit Haruna)
They had been married for just five months.Then a fire inside their home changed everything.Lieutenant Dr. Samson Haruna, a Nigerian Army medical officer, suffered severe burns during a domestic incident in Akwa Ibom State, and later died from his injuries. As news of the tragedy spread, social media quickly settled on one version of events. But as the investigation continued, a different account
She Married a Man Who Didn't Exist (Amina & Emeka)
What began as a love story soon became a mystery that captivated thousands online.Amina, a Gambian woman, believed she had found the man she wanted to spend her life with, a Nigerian man she knew as Emeka. But as questions about his identity and past began to surface, the marriage became the center of intense public attention.In this episode, we examine the timeline of Amina's relationship, the cl
Came Home From School on Emergency Medical Leave... and Died (Sylvester Oromoni)
In November 2021, 11-year-old Sylvester Oromoni Jr. left for boarding school like thousands of other Nigerian children. Weeks later, he returned home with severely ill and within days, he was dead.His death sparked one of Nigeria's most emotional and controversial public debates. His family alleged that Sylvester had been bullied, assaulted, and forced to consume a harmful substance by fellow stud
Killer Walks Around With A Severed Head — Says "I Have No Regrets" (Salome Adaidu)
Salome Adaidu was a 24-year-old NYSC member with plans for the future. In January 2025, she visited someone she knew. She never returned.A shocking discovery led to the arrest of Timileyin Ajayi, a man who would become the center of one of Nigeria's most disturbing murder cases. The investigation uncovered allegations of a brutal killing, dismemberment, and an attempted disposal of her remains
Mission Imposeebleh — The Internet Said "Something Isn't Adding Up" (Blessing Nkiruka Part 2)
In Part 1, we explored how Blessing CEO built one of the most recognizable and controversial brands on Nigerian social media.In Part 2, we examine the controversy that threatened to destroy it.When Blessing CEO publicly announced that she had been diagnosed with cancer, thousands of supporters rallied around her, offering sympathy, prayers, and financial support. But as the story unfolded, questio
The Internet Made Her Famous — Then Came the Cancer Scandal (Blessing Nkiruka Part 1)
Long before the headlines about cancer, public feuds, and viral controversies, there was Blessing CEO, a divorced mother who reinvented herself and built one of the most recognizable personal brands on Nigerian social media.In Part 1 of this series, we explore the life of Blessing Okoro Nkiruka, popularly known as Blessing ceo: her early life, marriage, divorce, and journey into single motherhood
The Tiny Waist That Broke the Internet (Ewatomilola)
In late 2025, Ewatomilola became one of Nigeria's most talked-about internet personalities after revealing that she had undergone a controversial rib reconstruction procedure to achieve her extremely tiny waist. The revelation quickly went viral, sparking heated debates across social media. Some praised her decision as an expression of personal freedom and body autonomy, while others raised co
Mohbad: The Final 24 Hours & Everything That Followed — Part 2 (Ilerioluwa Aloba)
In Part 1, we followed Mohbad's journey from rising Afrobeats star to one of the most talked-about artists in Nigeria. We examined his relationships, his struggles, and the controversies that surrounded him in the months leading up to September 2023.In Part 2, we focus on the events that shocked the nation.What happened during Mohbad's final 24 hours? Who was with him? What do the publicly
Mohbad: Everything That Happened Before His Death — Part 1 (Ilerioluwa Aloba)
Before the headlines, protests, investigations, and unanswered questions, there was Mohbad, a talented young artist fighting to make his mark in Nigeria's music industry.In Part 1 of this special series, we explore the life of Ilerioluwa Oladimeji Aloba, popularly known as Mohbad, from his early struggles and rise to fame to the relationships that shaped his journey.We examine his marriage to
Nigeria’s Richest Kidnapper? The Evans Story (Chukwudumeme Onwuamadike)
For years, wealthy business owners across Nigeria lived with a terrifying possibility: becoming the next target of Evans, the man police described as one of the country's most notorious kidnappers. Known as Chukwudumeme Onwuamadike, Evans was accused of masterminding a sophisticated kidnapping network that allegedly collected millions of dollars in ransom from victims and their families. Opera
The Pain Behind the Voice — The Tragedy Behind the Music (Osinachi Nwachukwu)
To millions of listeners, Osinachi Nwachukwu was the powerful voice behind some of Nigeria's most beloved gospel songs. Her music inspired faith, hope, and resilience. But behind the public image was a marriage that friends, family members, and colleagues later described as deeply troubled. Following her death in 2022, allegations of prolonged domestic abuse sparked national outrage and renewed co
Mysteries Naija Special: The Internet Made Her a Symbol
In 2023, Hilda Baci became more than a chef. She became a national obsession. What started as a record-breaking cook-a-thon quickly turned into something bigger. Millions watching live streams, celebrities showing up, brands rushing in, and Nigerians across the world rallying behind one woman standing over a stove for days.But beyond the applause and Guinness World Record headlines was another st
A Chicken, Eggs, A Conviction, and Years On Deathrow (Segun Olowookere)
At just 17 years old, Segun Olowookere was arrested in Osun State and later sentenced to death in a case that would spark controversy for years.Supporters, activists, and family members insisted he was innocent and claimed he was wrongfully convicted. Others pointed to the court's findings and maintained that the conviction was lawful. As public attention grew, the case became one of Nigeria's mos
She Was Looking for Work — He Was Looking for a Victim. (Iniubong Umoren)
In April 2021, Iniubong Umoren, a young philosophy graduate, left home for what she believed was a job interview in Akwa Ibom State. She never returned.As friends and family searched desperately for answers, attention turned to a man named Uduak Akpan, who had allegedly contacted her about the opportunity. What investigators uncovered would shock the nation and spark conversations about job scams,
The Teacher, The Ransom, and A 5-Year-Old Girl (Hanifa Abubakar)
In 2021, the kidnapping and murder of 5-year-old Hanifa Abubakar shocked Nigeria and devastated the city of Kano.What began as a missing child case took a horrifying turn when investigators discovered that the person behind the crime was someone trusted by the community, her very own school proprietor and teacher, Abdumalik Tanko.According to police, Hanifa was abducted for ransom, poisoned, and b
They Robbed the Bus — Then Left Her to Die (Greatness Olorunfemi)
In September 2023, the death of Greatness Olorunfemi sparked outrage across Nigeria.After armed robbers attacked a commercial bus in Abuja, the young woman was critically injured and reportedly taken from hospital to hospital while urgent treatment was delayed. By the time help finally came, it was too late.Her story quickly became more than a robbery case. It raised difficult questions about emer
The Otokoto Riot (The Murder of Anthony Ikechukwu)
In 1996, the disappearance and murder of 11-year-old Anthony Ikechukwu triggered one of the most violent public uprisings in Nigerian history, the Otokoto Riot. What began as a missing child case in Owerri, Imo State, quickly exposed allegations of ritual killings, human sacrifice, and powerful people tied to the infamous Otokoto Hotel. As anger spread through the city, protests turned into chaos,
The Real-Life Parasite — Stranger Than Stranger Things (Thecla Ekeh)
She went missing, and at first, it didn’t look like a crime. It didn’t look like a typical missing person case. But the deeper people looked, the more everything pointed back to someone close, Ediri Igbudu. Not a stranger. Not a random encounter. Someone who had access, trust, and time. What began as concern slowly shifted into a full murder investigation, raising questions about trust, access, an
Grandma Went Missing For 6 Years — Then Was Found in a Nightmare (Ibadan’s Forest of Horror)
In 2014, a stretch of forest along the Ibadan-Lagos expressway hid something no one expected, and no one could ignore once it was exposed. What began as rumors of missing people led to a shocking discovery: a den deep in the bush, survivors barely alive, and evidence pointing to a network built on fear, control, and brutality. The place would come to be known as the Ibadan Forest of Horror.This ep
The Cannibal of Lagos (Clifford Orji)
In the early 2000s, a quiet part of Lagos became the center of one of Nigeria’s most disturbing discoveries.What started as suspicion quickly turned into horror. A man living in isolation, human remains found nearby, and a story that blurred the line between crime and survival.This episode breaks down the case, and how a single discovery turned into one of the most chilling stories ever told in Ni
The Leopard Men Killings in 1943–1948
In the 1940s, deep in the Southern Annang region of colonial Nigeria, fear moved through the villages like a predator with no shape. People disappeared at night. Bodies were found mutilated. And the whispers were always the same: The Leopard Men.”Between 1943 and 1948, an entire community lived under the shadow of a terror that felt supernatural, a wave of killings so gruesome the British colonial
Mysteries Naija Special: The Influencer Who Pranked the Whole of Nigeria
When an influencer dropped a so-called “GRW prank,” the internet exploded. Was it satire, a stunt for clout, or a step too far? This episode looks into the world of viral fame, how shock value fuels clicks, how audiences draw the line between comedy and controversy, and what the fallout says about online culture in Nigeria today. THIS IS NOT A CRIME CASE.
Derico Nwamama — The Terror of the East (Okudili Ndiwe)
In the early 2000s, a young man known to the public as Derico Nwamama turned eastern Nigeria into a war zone. What began with a friendship spiraled into a trail of blood, ambushed buses, murdered officers, and towns living under fear. This episode retraces Derico’s path from ordinary youth to one of Nigeria’s most feared criminals and the brutal end that came when the Bakassi Boys finally caught u
The Kidnappings and the Murder of Six Girls in Ogun State
In Ogun State, six young women go missing without a trace. What police later uncovered was darker than anyone imagined. Ritual kidnappings and the kind of evil that hides in plain sight.This episode dives into the chilling story behind the Ogun State ritual murders, who the victims were and how they were taken.
Nigeria’s Most Wanted Man in 1980s (Lawrence Anini)
Long before social media crime stories and CCTV cameras, one man held a whole country hostage, Lawrence Anini. The people called him The Law, The Terror of Benin, Nigeria’s Most Wanted. Banks shut early. Drivers whispered. The streets of Benin and Warri turned cold whenever word like“Anini strikes again" spread.But who was he really? A cold-blooded killer or a man built by a broken system?This pod
Lover or Killer? (Chidinma Ojukwu)
Everybody heard the story, but not everybody knows what really went down. Michael Ataga, CEO, living the good life. Chidinma Ojukwu, young, fine, smart girl from UNILAG. One night in a short-let apartment, everything changed. He was dead and her face was everywhere.This podcast takes you inside that story. How it happened, how people saw it, and how it shook the whole country.This is The Michael a
The Facebook Trap (The Murder of Cynthia Osokogu)
In 2012, postgraduate student Cynthia Osokogu was murdered after being lured from Abuja to Lagos by individuals she met on Facebook. This episode breaks down the entire case, from the initial investigation and the surprising arrests to the five-year-long trial and the final verdict.
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