Ozubulu Massacre: Bishop Detains “Ndekwulu” Deity, 94 Yr Old High Priest, 5 Others
…30 more names on the wanted list
Loading ...An apparent move by the disconsolate and despairing youths of Ozubulu, the headquarters of Ekwusigo Council of Anambra state to find a permanent solution to what they allegedly saw as the sustained mass killing of their kith and kin resident in South Africa and within the community at home has hit a brick wall of combined resistance.
The resistance, according to them were coming from some arrowheads of the Ozubulu community leadership including the reputed philanthropist extraordinaire cum South African-based business mogul-Chief Aloysius Ikegwuonu, aka ‘Bishop’; the traditional ruler -Nnamdi Oruche, and the President General -Peter Uzokwe.
The concerned youth had allegedly met and decided to seek out a permanent but decisive solution to the bizarre suspected contract killings of their people within the community and at their business bases in South Africa that has been going on for some years now unabated. That despite several interventions and attempt to broker peace, the ugly trend had continued while more lives were lost annually in the sustained carnage.
They therefore according to information, resolved to take the matter before a dreaded local deity named “Ndekwulu shrine”, where they briefed its 94-year old high priest -Anazo Ilomuanya.
The youths had allegedly argued that the continuous killings of indigenes of the community was becoming an unbearable international eyesore before the comity of nations which has been giving Nigeria, and Anambra State a very bad and negative image, hence must stop forthwith. They also alleged that the police were procuring fake witnesses against those standing trial consequent upon last year’s Aug 6 massacre in the sanctuary of the St Philip’s Catholic church in the community, during an early morning mass. That sizable number of these false witnesses were not even from Ozubulu, but were currently being smuggled in to testify falsely against those standing trial, hence were mainly doing it just for the lure of the money.
The youths therefore laid the complaint before the high priest urging him to get the gods to intervene and administer justice especially the false witnesses. The high priest reportedly went to work immediately, invoking curse, damnation, public disgrace/open ridicule and eventual ignoble death on those behind the savage killings of their youth.
This unexpected move allegedly rattled and agitated Bishop, Igwe and the PG who instantly mobilized the police on a rampage of arrests, where they succeeded in picking up five of the youth leaders namely Emeka Anaekwe, Anazo Ilomuanya, Okoli Apollo Udegbunam, Ifediora Aloysius, and Igbokwe Nnanyeleze.
Included among the 30 names on the list of those being hunted was the Chairman of the Concerned Indegenous People of Ozubulu(CIPO) initiative, Mr Kenel Ernest who is resident in South Africa. His name, according to sources was so included because he’s marked. That already the Interpol has been handsomely briefed to get him arrested and detained forever because he knows too much and has been vocal.
Further investigations revealed that among the names submitted to the shrine included the police detectives, all those currently being detained and or standing trial over the murders both in Nigeria and in South Africa, those already jailed, the various trail judges, the legal counsels, the Bishop, the traditional ruler of the community and her President General.
About 30 names were said to have been listed for massive crackdown on the youths. The community has consequently become a ghost town as many youths have run, leaving the town until further notice, since they were not sure of who and who were on the wanted list.
Those five apprehended were charged with “character defamation” against the Bishop, the Igwe and the PG.
Incidentally, when the boys were charged to court, they were granted bail with conditions they considered very bizarre and unnatural to any know course of justice. They were each granted bail at N50,000 each with one substantial surety in the like sum,2recent passport photograph,3 year’s tax clearance receipts, and must depose to an affidavit of means by one who must reside within the magisterial jurisdiction and district.
The worried families of the youths allege that the high priest was being pressurized to renounce the curses and pronouncement already made, and the youth leader-Emeka Anaekwe to resign his position and give a written undertaking that he would never be involved in any youth activity in the community ever again.
These conditions were considered bizarre, unnatural and inhuman because they were mandated to be guaranteed by the same persons (the monarch and the PG) who brought them to the court in the first instance.
It was further ordered that such a surety must be recommended by the counsel and the address, particulars submitted must be verified by the Investigating Police Officer (IPO) in his matter or any other officer as maybe recommended by the DPO ozubulu for this purpose.
On the process to full fill the conditions the first surety provided was from Ozubulu and the traditional ruler -Obi Nnamdi Oruche allegedly refused to sign the letter of identification giving out his own conditions which included that the youth president Mr.Emeka Anekwe aka Afunwa should resign, should never be involved in any youth activities in the community again.
The monarch was accused of frustrating efforts by the accused from perfecting their bail conditions with guarantors from neighbouring communities within the same magisterial district.
The magistrate had stated in the open court that he doesn’t want any problems with the powers that is behind and consequently refused to sign the bail bond. It was discovered that one of the reasons was a letter from the palace which reportedly was never addressed to the court
