Police Investigate Killing Of Rice Farmer In Enugu

Enugu State Police Command has begun investigation over circumstances surrounding the alleged killing of a rice farmer and jungle justice meted to the suspected killer.

Nenwe in Aniniri Local Government Area of Enugu State was in turmoil on Tuesday afternoon after a young farmer was killed while returning from farm with his wife.

His alleged assailant, a 25-year-old Ifeanyi Ubah, a native of Nomeh, in Nkanu East Council, was said to have gone to Emudo Village in Nenwe, a neighbouring community, and killed his victim.

Uba was said to have cut off the head of the rice farmer, whose name could not be ascertained as of the time of filing this report, and hid the same in a bag, which he took home.

Luck, however, ran out of him and he was caught by people (from Nomeh), who later handed him over to Nenwe people, thus averting what could have resulted in a bloodbath between Nomeh and Nenwe communities.

A source said Uba came to Nenwe and ambushed the victim along the farm track.

“The victim had gone to his rice farm with his wife to apply fertiliser and other pesticides and while he was returning home with his wife on a motorcycle, the suspect struck and pushed them down. The wife was lucky and ran away, while the husband was macheted, and subsequently killed and his head cut off.

“Afterwards, he hid it in a fertiliser bag and took it home with the victim’s motorcycle. Unfortunately, he was caught in his community when the head fell off from the motorcycle he was riding and he was apprehended by members of his community.

“On questioning, the suspect was said to have told his community that he killed the man because they had a misunderstanding and he decided to kill him.”

Another source alleged that while he (Uba) was being questioned by his community members, people of Nenwe, who were informed of the incident by the wife of the victim that escaped, stormed Nomeh and demanded him.

Another community source alleged the suspect was killed and his corpse burnt after he was handed over to the Nenwe community.

He said that the angry community youths chased police operatives who intervened away before allegedly killing the suspect.

When the State Police Public Relations officer, ASP Daniel Ndukwe, was contacted on the telephone, he confirmed the incident, while revealing that the command had launched an investigation into the matter.

Guardian