By Chuks Eke
Men of the Anti kidnapping and Rapid Response Squards (AK/RRS) Awkuzu attached to Anambra state police command have arrested a middle aged man for allegedly cutting off fingers of his creditor with a machete in an attempt to murder him.
Sources said the suspect, Nnamdi Michael Awu Igbeke (a.k.a Coach), a native of Nsugbe in Anambra East Local Government Area of Anambra state had been on the run since October 2023, when he allegedly cut off three fingers of his victim identified as Chinedu Chima with a machete at a stretch.
According to the source, Chima, a native of Ogboji in Ezza North Local Government Area of Ebonyi but resident in Nsugbe in Anambra state had on the fateful day, approached Awu Igbeke at his saw mill at Nsugbe and demanded for payment of his N30, 000 debt he was owing him but rather than settle the debt, Awu Igbeke allegedly abducted Chima with the help of his cohorts and took him into a Ttck forest in Nsugbe, attacked him with the machete and robbed him of his phone and other personal effects.
As if that was not enough, it was gathered that at the last count, Awu Igbeke picked up a machete and aimed at his head but Chima covered his head with his two hands to protect his head and the machete landed in his hands, cutting off three fingers from his right hand, while the left hand was severed.
To buttress the level of his anger, Awu Igbeke allegedly collected the cut off fingers, pocketed them and fled to Obigbo in Rivers State.
The police later declared him wanted and launched manhunt for him since October, last year till about two weeks ago when he was tracked down and is currently cooling off at the State Criminal Investigations Department, (Ak/RRS ), CID Annex, formerly the state headquarters of the disbanded Special Anti-Robbery Squad, SARS, Awkuzu.
Reacting to the development, the Chairman of Abakaliki Lawyers Association, an umbrella body of Lawyers from Abakaliki resident in Anambra state, Barr. Victor C. Alo, described the action of Awu Igbeke as wicked, barbaric and inhuman, adding that the association would liaise with the immediate members of Chima’s family and follow the case to its logical conclusion with a view to ensuring that Justice is done in the case.
Alo however commended the state police command for their efforts in tracking the fleeing Awu Igbeke down, three months after the incident and called for an urgent arrest of his cohorts.
