Murder: Enugu families accuse monarch of fact twisting, insist suspects must face justice

Families of the two indigenes of Akpawfu community, in Nkanu East Local Government Area of Enugu state, who were recently murdered in cold blood are insisting on getting justice for their departed ones.

This is as they accused a traditional ruler in the area, Igwe Christopher Nnamani of fact distortion, insisting that the monarch and those they referred to as his cohorts, have questions to answer.

They spoke in reaction to a media publication which decried the police treatment of the arrested suspects.

The families have now urged the police to arrest and interrogate the traditional ruler.

DAILY POST recalls that the deceased, namely- Chief Israel Nnaji and Chukwudi Nweke Oka were gruesomely murdered in their respective homes in June and July this year by gunmen who invaded their homes.

While late Nnaji was murdered on the 21st of June, 2024, Oka was killed on 16th of July 2024.

The families hinted that shortly after the ugly incident, the police arrested six suspects in connection with the heinous crime.

They included Sunday Nwobodo Edeaniafu alias (Devil Spoon) “M”, Onyeka Nnaji (aka Apiawa) “M”, Nnamdi Nnam (aka Junior)”M” (4) Okenwa Chigozie (aka ochiwar)”M”, Uwabunkeonye Nnamai (aka Asaba) “M” and Nnaemeka Nnamani (aka Nweze) “M”, and they were arraigned in court on 19/09/2024, while Echerem Paul and others were still at large.

They accused the traditional ruler and a rights group of misinforming members of the public through the media.

A statement jointly issued on Sunday by both families and made available to journalists in Enugu also accused the royal father of allegedly shielding the arrested suspects under the guise that they were not criminals but operatives of the community’s neighborhood watch group.

The document signed on behalf of the two families by Chief Godwin Ede, and Chief Ugochukwu Nnaji disagreed with the monarch on his claim that perpetrators of the crime were aliens to the community.

According to the families, “The Police are intensifying all efforts to apprehend the escaping others and charge them to court as well for acts of terrorism, banditry, armed robbery and gruesome murder of Chief Israel Nnaji and Chukwudi Nweke Oka.

“Families of the two murdered men considered it expedient to respond after duly briefing our legal team who directed us to respond and sate as follows:

“It is curious and laughable that the author of the so called publication claimed to have written to the Inspector General of Police seeking Justice for detained suspects who have allegedly been tortured and shot on their legs by the police in Enugu.

“This counsel purportedly seeking for justice failed and refused to disclose, who briefed him and cross-check his facts properly before rushing to the press to embarrass the police and put up such false and misleading publication that is filled with falsehood, distortion of facts and deceit.

“The said publication is in effectual to counter police diligent investigation being carried out by the Octopus Squad of the Enugu State Command, who have painstakingly sanitized the Akpawfu Community feasted with crime and criminality for the past three years, and where recently more than twenty people, killed and buried in same circumstance Chief Israel Nnaji and Chukwudi Nweke Okah were killed.

“Police investigation so far conducted by the Octopus Squad Enugu State Command has fully established that the person mentioned above have committed the crime as charged and have been a terror in Akpawfu Community, committing all kinds of heinous crime of Armed Robbery, Murder Arson and arson under the guise and cover of being a Community Security Neighborhood Watch.”

Narrating what happened further, they said; “On the 21st day of July 2024, Mrs Coredelia Nnaji wife of Chief Israel Nnaji, reported that at about 01:30 am, that she heard the painful voice of her husband, Chief Israel Nnaji, now deceased, begging the attackers not to kill him.

“As she opened the door to see what was happening to the husband, one of the attackers standing near the door shouted at her to lie down facing the ground; otherwise, she would be killed instantly.

“The attacker picked up a piece of iron rod and started hitting her all over her body and left her with severe pains, the same attackers collected her valuables including money and phones and left for her husband’s room where she met other gang members already matcheting the man and he joined them in hitting the husband with the iron rod and finally killed him, leaving him in his pool of blood.

“They further ransacked his room and made away with some undisclosed amount of money and his motorcycle and escaped from the scene.

“The wife however identified two of the attackers during the operation, led by Nnamdi Nnam (aka Junior), Okenwa Chigozie (aka Ochiwar), Uwabunkeonye Nnamani (aka Asaba), Nnaemeka Nnamani (aka Nwaeze).

“Again on 16th July, 2024, the same group of miscreants led by Mr Sunday Nwobodo aka (Devil spoon) Onyekachi Nnaji aka (Apiawa) and others still at large, again attacked and killed Mr Chukwudi Nweke Oka in his house.

“Akpawfu community is no longer comfortable with this situation as the youths are now restive and ready for a showdown.

“Sequel to this heinous murder of these two prominent members of the community, the case was first reported at Amuagunze Police Station, followed by raising a petition to the Commissioner of Police Enugu and the Inspector General of Police for their necessary directives after which the matter was referred to the Command Octopus Squad to handle.

“The six arrested suspects were thoroughly screened, investigated and fully indicted and now charged to Magistrate Court Enugu with six counts charges.

“On 19/09/2024, however, the trial Magistrate declined jurisdiction and remanded the defendants to the Correctional Centre Enugu, while the case file was ordered to be sent to Director of Public Prosecution for review and prosecution in the High Court, the case was then adjourned to 4th October, 2024 for report of update from DPP.

“It is unfortunate to state that the authors of the publication and Igwe Christopher Nnamani lack knowledge of the operational strategy of the Police and their Rules of engagement.”

When contacted via his cell phone, Igwe Nnamani denied any wrongdoing, stating that his only sin was that he didn’t keep quiet and watch policemen treat his subjects currently in custody like common criminals, even when they are still presumed innocent.

He maintained that those arrested by the police over the alleged killing of the two natives were operatives of the community’s neighborhood watch, and not criminals or members of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, as being alleged.

The traditional ruler, who alleged that the arrested suspects were shot by the police in the cell, added that they also made confessional statements under duress.

He decried the dumping of the suspects in a police cell for 19 days, before charging them to court, insisting that they were not being treated fairly by the security operatives.

As a traditional ruler, he said he would always speak the truth in the community, no matter whose ox is gored

Murder: Enugu families accuse monarch of fact twisting, insist suspects must face justice