From Kris Emmauel, Onitsha
Business activities were grounded to a halt within St. Lious Mbanefo street around the popular Ochanja Main Market in Onitsha, Anambra State last Thursday following the alleged torturing to death of one master Ebuka Onynji and a job man (whose identify was not disclosed) by members of Vigilant group safeguiding Rubber Footwear Delaers Association located at St. Lious Mbanefo, a section of the Ochanja Central Market Amalgamated Tradea Association.
Information avaliable to our undercover reporter had it one Mr. Edmond Nwachukwu who hails from Oraifite, Ekwusigo Local Government Area of Anambra State had lodged complaint against two of his servants, master Chiemerie Anaru, Ebuka Anyeji as well as his office girl(names withheld) over the alleged conspiracy and sniffing off of over Four Million, Eight Hundred Thousand Naira (#4. 8m) only from his shop.
On receiving the complaint, the vigilantes said to were led by their commander, Mr. Kenneth Uruakpa, popularly known as Fine Boy, went and first arrested the office girl, questioned her about the alleged disappearance of the said sum, after which, the over zealous vigilant group men declared her innocent on the alleged crime.
It was reliably learned that after setting the office girl free, the two servants, Chiemerie and Ebuka were picked up and taken to the vigilant group office inside Ochanja Main Market where they were allegedly made to under went undue torture.
During their interrogation cum torture, it was gathered that Master Ebuka Onynji who could not withstand the torture, accepted to have committed the crime rather than dying in the hands of the accused heartless local security operatives.
Instead of handing the suspects over to the police as enshrined in the Anmabra State Vigilant group bill, Ebuka was allegedly forced under torture to mention where he kept the money, this led to him fingering one of the job men in the market as the person that saves money for him.
On the arrest of job man according to sources, he was placed under serious torture and when he could not bear his own turn of torture, he was said to had jumped down from the upstairs, housing the office of the vigilant group office from where he allegedly died while Ebuka Onynji later died on the way to New Hope Hospital, Modebe Street, Onitsha.
When 247ureports.com visited the hospital, the Chief Medical Director, New Hope Hospital (identity not siaclosed) said Chiemerie Anaru (the only surviving person) was responding to treatment.
Commenting on the ugly development, the Chairman of Rubber Footwear Delaers Association, St. Lious Mbanefo street, Chief Vincent Moughalu condemned the alleged act of the men engaged to save lives and property and sued for training and retraining of the vigilant group members in Anambra state from time to time.
Exenorating members of Ochanja Central Market AmalgamatedTradea Association from the alleged barbaric act perpetrated by Kenneth Uruakpa led vigilant group, the President General of the market, Chief Nelson Orakwu described the incident as unfortunate, noting that the victims are not trading in his market. He however vowed to doing anything possible in reorganising the local security of the market.
Efforts made to reach the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Anambra State Police Command, ASP Nkeiruka Nwode for comment as at the time of filing this report failed as her GSM line could not be reached.
