Ezeala/Ezike autonomous community in Umuezeala, Ehime Mbano Local Council of Imo State is reeling from the brutal slaying of Innocent Obi, a dedicated deputy registrar at the Federal Polytechnic, Uwana, Ebonyi State.
Obi, affectionately known as Onye Army by villagers, had served in the military before dedicating himself to the Polytechnic. His aspirations included seeking the role of substantive registrar for the institution before a heart-wrenching end.
According to sources within the village, Obi had traveled to Umuoboama for the burial of a relative who had fallen in the Northeast conflict as a soldier. Tragically, during his visit, he was abducted and murdered.
Reports indicate that hoodlums, numbering about six, invaded Obi’s family home around 10 p.m. on the same weekend. These assailants, disguising themselves in military and police uniforms, forced their way through the main door and viciously attacked him with machetes and axes.
Despite his cries for help, the villagers were forced to retreat when the assailants opened fire into the air. Dee Onye Army was abducted that fateful Friday night, leaving a gruesome scene with bloodstains in the house.
It wasn’t until late Sunday afternoon that authorities discovered a decomposing corpse between Ehime Mbano and Ahiazu Mbaise. To their horror, it was the lifeless body of Dee Onye Army. He had been savagely mutilated beyond recognition.
Dee Onye Army was known for his dedication to educating the youth and helping them gain admission to school. He lived a modest life, and his personal house in the village was still under construction at the time of his untimely death.
The Imo State Police command spokesperson, Henry Okoye, stated that he had not yet been briefed about the incident when contacted.
In a separate incident, unidentified gunmen have kidnapped the wife and two children of Kwara State lawmaker Lawal Ayanshola Soliu, who represents Ipaiye/Malete/Olooru of Moro Local Council. The kidnapping took place in the legislator’s house around 1:00 a.m. on Monday.
Eyewitnesses reported that the kidnappers, armed with AK-47 rifles, fired shots to intimidate potential rescuers and instill fear in their victims and neighbors. At the time of reporting, the whereabouts of the kidnapped family members remain unknown.
One of the kidnappers, who contacted the family, claimed that he had not yet reunited with his colleagues in the forest to finalize their ransom demands.
Phone calls to the lawmaker went unanswered. The spokesperson for the Kwara State Police Command, Ajayi Okesanmi, confirmed the incident.