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By News Desk

AMAOKPALA, Nigeria — Following police intervention, the body of Prophet Christian Nwankwo, who was secretly interred by his younger brother Chinweike Nwankwo and wife in Amaokpala community, Orumba North Local Government Area of Anambra State, has been formally exhumed by local youths.

The exhumation was carried out with the authorization of the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) after community leaders alerted law enforcement to the unauthorized and suspicious interment.

Exhumation and Autopsy Preparations

Speaking on the development, the Youth Secretary of Amaokpala community, Telman Okeke, confirmed that the police command was alerted following a confrontation between local youths and the deceased’s younger brother:

• Confrontation with Shovels: Youths caught Chinweike and his wife shoveling dirt over the fresh grave. Upon questioning, the couple did not deny burying the prophet without informing extended family, neighbors, or town authorities, standing defiant and claiming they had the right to proceed without public notification.
• Mortuary Transfer: Following approval from the DPO, community youths exhumed the body of Prophet Christian Nwankwo and deposited his remains at the Oko Community mortuary pending a thorough autopsy to ascertain the exact cause of death.
• Police Custody: Law enforcement officers have arrested and detained Chinweike Nwankwo and his wife for further interrogation and investigation into the circumstances surrounding the death and clandestine burial.

Avoidance of Mob Action and Leadership Void

The intervention of youth leaders averted potential extrajudicial violence, as tensions initially ran high across the community:

• Preventing Mob Justice: A faction of angry youths had initially resisted involving law enforcement, expressing skepticism about police procedures and pressing for immediate jungle justice. Youth Secretary Telman Okeke prevailed upon the crowd, assuring them that community representatives would closely monitor police proceedings.
• Town Union Leadership Void: The incident unfolded against the backdrop of an ongoing leadership crisis within the community. Internal wranglings have left the traditional stool silent and split the town union into competing factions, prompting the youth leadership to step in and handle the situation directly.

Investigations by the Anambra State Police Command remain ongoing as medical personnel prepare to conduct an autopsy on the exhumed body.