AROCHUKWU LGA: ABIA INDIGENE SEEKS JUSTICE OVER HER MOTHER’S DEATH, CALLS ON GOV. IKPEAZU

An indigene of Ihechiowa Community in Arochukwu L.G.A of Abia State who gave her name as Mrs. Blessing Ephraim is seeking for justice over the death of her late mother Mrs. Helen Okoro.

Mrs. Ephraim who raised the outcry during an interview segment Focal Point with Abia Facts Online Television program, explained that her family dark moment began on 30^th of December 2017, which happens to be a day her late mother was celebrating her Igba Ekpe age grade festival in Ihechiowa, Arochukwu L.G.A and that after the occasion, the family which made up of herself, husband and their three kids as well as her late mother decided to visit their relative who was sick at a nearby Hospital [Mercy Catholic Hospital] at Umuye, Ihechiowa, adding that on their way back from the Hospital, an FJ Cruiser Jeep came from behind and all of a sudden the driver doubled cross their own vehicle, just as a Man known as Mr. Tony Ndu Mgbore Agwu from Umuchiakuma Ihechiowa alighted from the car with some thugs.

According to her, she said immediately he approached their car he ordered them to open their car and as they opened and came, Mr. Tony Ndu asked of her late mother who was seating at the back seat,  threatening to kill her.

She further explained that her husband a native of Akpabuyo in Cross River State who came to celebrate the Christmas season in Ihechiowa, was ordered out of the car and dragged out her late widow mother and started hitting her with a rifle butt they had with them, just as she said the said Tony Ndu ordered his thugs to beat up her husband and cut off his genital.

She said she was not spared as she was beaten to a pulp when she tried to stop them from attacking both her husband and aged mother and that as a result of the several attack on her mother, she died in the process and was rushed to the same Mercy Catholic Hospital Umuye, where the Director of the Hospital Rev. Fr. Sylvester Kalu confirmed the death of her mother at about 11: 45 pm.

Continuing, Mrs. Ephraim pointed out that the incident was reported at the Police Station Arochukwu Division where the IPO who was on duty visited the scene of the crime with his team and recovered a broken Heineken bottle and his husband’s torn shirt as an exhibit, stressing that the matter was subsequently taken to State CID in Umuahia which followed the arrest of the Chief suspect [Tony Ndu] as well as Ernest Onihe, Paul Ezikpe and others who she are still at large.

She went further to explain that at Umuahia, the IPO in charge of the case Mr. Ayoyo John went to the Village to get witnesses which include the Traditional Ruler and some from the Hospital where her mother died and that after series of investigation, it was reported that the case was that of Murder, Robbery, Occasional Harm, Assault and other Criminal sundry offences, maintaining that the prime suspect Tony Ndu had claimed that he had Police Officers in Abuja and that all of a sudden, a call came from the IGP’s office in Abuja requesting that the case file should be brought to Abuja.

She further explained that through a petition Tony Ndu wrote, it was not long; he was granted bail and returned to boast that he has all the security personnel in his pocket and that nothing will ever happen to him.

According to her, she said the issue was because her late mother refused to sell a piece of land which is closed to Tony Ndu’s Hotel, believed to have been inherited by her to him, because he [Tony Ndu] has seen that they are all female and no  male among them to inherit the land. She could no longer visits the village in Ihechiowa as Tony Ndu had threatened to wipe out her entire family unless she kept quiet over the matter because that the issue is affecting his Political carrier as he intends to be the future Governor of the Abia State, regretting that the safety of her family is no longer guaranteed and call on both the State Governor and other well-meaning Abians and Nigerians to intervene.

Also speaking at the program, a Human Right Lawyer who is also handling the case Barr. Maxwell Opara hinted that ever since the case came up, he had approached the State Governor Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu during a programe at Abuja and discussed the matter with him and that direct directed him to the Attorney General and Commissioner of Justice and that nothing has been done ever since.

According to Barrister Opara, he said a committee that was set up by the Police came up with a measure of prosecution on the suspect but that CP in charge of Legal later said that the case should be kept in view as ordered by the then IGP, adding that he has written to the IGP, FIDA, NHRC, Amnesty International as well as Public Complaint Commission, but that it was only the National Human Right Commission that reacted over the matter.

He called on the Governor, Traditional Rulers as well as the Nigerian Police to please help so as to bury the dead and grant her soul eternal rest.