The people of Uzuakoli in Bende local government area of Abia State have said the community vigilante contrary to “mischievous” online publications is not responsible for the death of two brothers, Oluomachukwu Ugochukwu, (Chairmoo) Ikechukwu Ugochukwu (Pepper), insisting that they were killed by rival cult group.
Addressing newsmen in Umuahia, Abia State capital, the Secretary General of Uzuakoli Development Association who is also the President-elect, Barr. Prince Chigoziem Okechukwu expressed sadness over the killing of the two brothers in Amankwo Uzuakoli, faulting online report linking the community vigilante to their demise.
According to him, Amamba youths, where he hails from have no hand in the killing of the duo.
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He alleged that there was a cult clash which came after a robbery incident, in which one Ekeleme was fingered to be the mastermind.
He said Ekeleme and his accomplice, Uche were arrested and a group suspected to be members of a cult gang attempted to stop the vigilante operatives who carried out the arrest from handing the suspects over to the police.
The community leader alleged that after insisting in handing over the suspects to the police, the suspected cult members invited their colleagues from neighbouring communities to launch an attack on the vigilante operatives.
Arising from this development, the military was invited to assist in foiling the planned attack, and upon their arrival at the civic centre where they were converging, one of the deceased opened fire on the military, Barr. Okechukwu alleged.
According to him, their journey to their end however started when they placed a blockade during a night vigil of a man and his son who died mysteriously.
The two brorhers were alleged to have dispossessed people of their belongings and inflicting injuries on others.
This however provoked a rival cult group who launched a counter-attack on them, and a fight ensued at that night, causing chaos in the community.
Upon arrival of the vigilantes, they were said to have seen two persons lying helplessly on the floor, which happen to be the two brothers.
The men rushed the victims to the hospital where they were confirmed dead.
Barr. Okechukwu insists that the vigilante operatives are innocent of the death of the men.
He added that the community was worried over the interest of the self acclaimed Biafran prime minister based in FINLAND who has reportedly declared war on the Vigilante in the entire Abia State.
“Indeed the publication of the said Simon Ekpa in the social media leaves us with the feeling and believe that what happened on the 23rd day of May, 2024 at Amankwo Uzuakoli that lead to the deaths of the two young men was beyond a Cult Clash but one of those activities of the so called Non- State Actors of Simon Ekpa”
“What happened at Amankwo Uzuakoli on the 23rd Day of May 2024 that regrettably led to the deaths of the two young boys is centered on or is a fall out is an armed robbery incident that took place on the 22nd of May 2024 where in two recidivists Uchechukwu Ekeleme and Uche (aka Cheroko) who are members of a cult group were apprehended by the Uzuakoli Homeland Security on the complaint of One Mr Ekele Risdent at Uzuakoli Quarters”
“That Following the criminal complaint of the said Mr Ekele, the Uzuakoli Homeland Security Corps went after the culprits and arrested them and when they were about to be taken to Uzuakoli Police Station from the homeland Security Office at Eke Ukwu Uzuakoli Civic Centre their members of their secret cults besieged the homeland Security Office in an attempt to liberate these their members who went for Arm robbery from the hands of the Homeland Security Corps and they failed as the Homeland Security were able to maneuver them with their HILUX Van and took the hoodlums to Uzuakoli Police State.
“It is recalled that it has not been long these Hoodlums were released unduly from criminal cobweb by the Uzuakoli High Court and they came back from their journey to the Custodial Center in a charge of illegal possession of Ammunition in Charge No HUZ/6/2003: THE COP VS. UCHECHUKWU EKELEME & ORS because of the complacency and negligence of the Police prosecuting Lawyer. The Culprit was discharged on the 10th day of May, 2024; on the illegal possession of Ammunition and on the 22nd May 2024 went for the Arm robbery”
Speaking Further, he said the attempt to liberate their leaders from the hands of the Homeland Security Corps led to the fracas from a rival group.
“Irked by their failure to liberate their cult leaders from the hands of the Homeland Security Corps, the secret Cult boys went on rampage and resultantly convened a meeting of all their Secret Cult members from all the neighboring Communities around Uzuakoli, coordinated by their State Co- coordinator one NKEMAKOLAM ENYIOMA ONUOBIA from Eluoma Uzuakoli to attack our Homeland Security Office,The convention place of the secret cult members was at the Criminal Den of the deceased boys who hitherto have turned themselves into monsters, and were their arrow heads of the secret Cults in Uzuakoli and beyond. Their illegal assemble came to the knowledge of the Chief Security Officer of the Homeland Security, who quickly alerted the police and the Military men in Uzuakoli.
“As usual, it was only the Military men at Uzuakoli that readily gave assistance to the Homeland Security men and followed them to the cult convention place of the deceased boys; and saw of a truth the gathering of the Cult boys and girls, most of whom are social mothers and child industries of the deceased boys. It is our instruction that one of the deceased boys on sighting the military men opened fire on them with other cult members hurling stones and bottles on the military men. The military men avoiding temptation of returning fire for fire with cult group retreated to avoid any form of casualties, though having disorganized their gathering at that time as many of the cult boys and girls ran away from the scene.
“The deceased boys and their Cohorts believing that they have become the monster for the day and that they have frightened the military away, now re-grouped in the night of the ill-fated 23rd May, 2024 on which night there was a Wake keep of a late father and Son who died in a very mysterious circumstance at Amuzi Amankwo where people were trooping to the wake keep venue at Amuzi Amankwo Uzuakoli.
“The deceased boys led their Cult members to form a Road block on the road leading to the Wake-Keep ground and were brandishing all kinds of dangerous weapons and in the main they were using bottles and machetes to stab people and were collecting the phones and properties of the innocent persons passing the Road or going to the Wake Keep and were chanting their songs that “heads must roll that night”. Some who resisted them received machete slaps and cuts or Bottle stabs depending on the level of resistance of them and their gender.
“It was this their dastardly acts of giving people machete slaps, cuts and Bottle stabs that provoked some other members of a parallel cult groups, some of whom probably were not from Uzuakoli; noting that there was a wake-keep of father and son -The late son resided in Lagos and some of his friends and business partners came from Lagos and there erupted a free for all flight among the Cult groups and many sustained injuries, it was in the process of the clash that the two brothers were hacked down according to our c findings.
“When the matter became uncontrollable, some persons particular the women raised alarm for the Homeland Security men to intervene; and they promptly responded to call with their Hillux Van using security alarm so as to scare away people. On approaching the scene, all the people took to their heels; apparently because of the security siren, they had the impression that it was the Armed Military or Policemen that were coming.
“The Homeland Security Corps on reaching the spots, saw some weapons like Machetes, and broken Bottles, and the two men lying helpless on the ground and they carried them in their Hillux Van, first to the police Station, and the police directed them to take them to the General Hospital, Uzuakoli which they complied with; but on reaching the Hospital, the Doctor that came out at the prompting of the Nurses on duty checked them and confirmed them dead. The Security men yet carried them back to the Police Station and announced to the police what the Doctor had said of them and there and then they in conjunction with the police took their lifeless bodies and deposited them at the Morgue and the police took the tallies”
The President General elect called on the Abia State Government to intervene in this matter while reiterating that AMAMBA Youths had no hands in the death of the two brothers.
“The allegation that the deceased boys were “beaten and stone to death” by Amamba boys and vigilantes is false, mischievous and unfounded on the following reasoning:
“Amamba is a distinct community from Amankwo and there is no reported skirmishes between Amamba boys and Amankwo boys, even with the decease. There is no way Amamba boys could have come to Amankwo to do such alleged act without being challenged by the Amankwo boys in defense of their brothers even if they were wrong.
“Our Vigilantes are well trained by the police and with instructions to apprehend criminals and hand them over to the police; and never to take the laws into their hands no matter the extent of the provocation in the course of their duties.
“The Homeland Security corps were nowhere present in the scene of the crime at the time of the free for all fights; if they were there it would have saved the situation as they would have arrested the culprits that did that dastardly act and ran away and possibly the deceased fellows.
“There is no way the Homeland Security men could have taken the lives of two brothers or anybody knowing fully that Uzuakoli as a whole will not support” he concluded.
