Fear grips Enugu community over Neighborhood killings

Palpable fear has gripped residents of Aji Community in Igbo Eze North Local Government Area, Enugu State, over the alleged killing of a middle-aged man, Obinna Onoja, by people suspected to be members of the village neighbourhood watch.
The incident which has heightened tension in the community took place barely one week after another indigene of the town, Itodo Oforma was allegedly hacked to death, four days after he buried his mother.

247ureports gathered that the deceased, Obinna was allegedly butchered to death on a mere flimsy reason that he stole an unidentified item from the compound of a top Enugu State Government Official who hails from the community.
A competent source told 247reports that the deceased was an unemployed young man who survived on menial jobs, adding that he was never known as a bad egg in the community adding that what informed the action of his assailants were yet to  be known and made public.
“He was allegedly killed on trumped up charges by a group who parades themselves as Aji neighbourhood watch. Two members of the group simply identified as hunchback and Otiyo were allegedly fingered to have played key roles in the gruesome murder of Oforma Itodo,” he disclosed.
Our investigation revealed that the assailants of Obinna Onoja used axe to cut off his toes, tortured him severely and before Police from Enugu State Special Anti- Robbery Squad ,SARS, could arrive, he had given up the ghost.
Contacted on phone for comments over the gruesome murder, Mr. Joseph Azegba who claims to be the authentic chairman of Aji neighborhood watch explained that his group has been hunting for Obinna for quite sometime now over his alleged involvement in some criminal activities in the area.
Azegba confirmed that his group apprehended Obinna along Aji – Ogrute road, Enugu- Ezike on that fateful day of March 21, 2014 and questioned him, after which they handed him over to the police for further interrogation. He denied ever torturing him to death as he only heard he died.
He noted that he contacted the Divisional Police Officer, Igbo-Eze North and the special anti-robbery Squad, SARS, Enugu but did not contact the traditional ruler on the development in the community. He, however, declined to point out the actual crime Obinna committed that warranted his apprehension and alleged death.
Azegba denied that his group ever tortured the deceased but handed him over to the police alive to continue investigations, adding that they haf searched for him since November 2013.
Efforts made to speak with the official of Enugu State government fingered in the saga failed as he could not be reached. However, Enugu State Police spokesman, DSP Ebere Amarizu told 247ureports that he was yet to have details of the incident and promised to furnish us with the information as soon as the details were made clearer to him.