By Izunna Okafor, Awka
The residents of Enugwu Nanka in Orumba North Local Government Area of Anambra State have urgently appealed the intervention and assistance of Governor Chukwuma Soludo over the increasing incidents of killings and fresh assassination attempt within their community.
The leadership of Enugwu Nanka village made the appeal in a “Save Our Soul (SOS)” letter addressed to the Governor, signed by Joe Omehaa as the Chairman and Peter Godson Oforkansi as the Secretary.
This is coming barely one week after the burial of Chief Joseph Ezenwegbu (popularly known Joe Mohale), a chieftain of the Young People’s Party (YPP) who was murdered by hired assassins; and barely one month after his murder and alleged kidnap of another indigene of the community, Patrick Ezeanaka.
The villagers, in the SOS letter, also highlighted a growing division in Nanka, implicating some influential individuals attempting to suppress the majority supporting truth.
Citing various cases of killings and attempted assassinations, the letter noted a disturbing pattern where police investigations into these crimes are halted. The correspondence recounted a tragic incident from 2021, involving the murder of 25-year-old Mr. Toochukwu Onyemelukwe in the Enugwu Nanka Village square. Allegedly, Onyemelukwe became a target due to his association with an opposing faction of the village union, which opposed the faction controlled by powerful figures.
The letter further revealed that Mr. Martin Okeke, who reported Onyemelukwe’s murder to the police, has been facing numerous assassination attempts as a consequence, recounting that ongoing threats have forced Okeke to abandon his home, with his wife seeking refuge in exile out of fear for their lives.
“Your Excellency Sir, one of the killings happened in 2021. A boy of 25 years, Mr. Toochukwu Onyemelukwe was murdered in Enugwu Nanka Village square, along the Main Road at the popular Ukwumango Nwanyi Uzo village square – an open public place.
“This was simply because the young boy was from the opposing faction of the village union, the Enugwu Nanka Village Development Union, against the faction (ODU) being controlled by some powerful persons.
“Mr. Martin Okeke, who reported the murder of Mr. Toochukwu Onyemelukwe to the Police, has met many assassination attempts, just because he reported to the Police about that crime.
“Mr. Martin Okeke’s life has been continuously threatened by the suspected culprits since they discovered he reported the murder to the police.
“Okeke has had assassination attempts over his life, he has not been sleeping in his house and his wife is in exile for fear of being killed,” the letter partly reads.
While calling on Governor Soludo to intervene, the group urged an investigation into the numerous killings and the underlying causes of factionalism within the town union. They expressed concern that the prevailing factions, fueled by high-handedness and cover-up activities, could lead to the collapse of their community. The leaders emphasized the need for the police to conduct thorough investigations into crimes in Nanka, expressing a fear that failure to address the situation promptly may result in dire consequences for their town.
