Enugu mob torches alleged ritualists; police launch investigation

 Enugu mob torches alleged ritualists; police launch investigation.

In response to an alleged ritual killing, two men, Agbo Dera and Ifeanyi Ugwu (M), were allegedly mobbed and set on fire at Ede-Oballa Nsukka in the state's Nsukka Local Government Area. The Enugu State Police Command announced on Monday that it had launched an investigation to identify those responsible.

According to reports, the two were lynched and set afire by a crowd on Monday for allegedly taking part in the slaying and removal of a young girl's privates from the neighborhood.

The MEDIA learned that the girl, Eze Nkemdirim, was the deceased Igwe Philip Ugwu of Umuidu's daughter. She was 10 years old. She vanished a few days ago, and her body was later found with her eyes and private parts gone. family members reported After being reported missing at first, the girl was discovered dead and severely dismembered less than 24 hours later.

According to a source, "her eyes were ripped out, her private parts were chopped off, and she was dragged away by the accused ritualists."

"Angered by the situation, the community's elders and young people went out of their way to find out what had happened to the young girl.

A neighborhood watch member arrested two people, but the mob prevented them from turning them over to the police and set the suspects ablaze, according to the source. "Along the way, it was discovered that some members of the community has a hand in the killing of the little girl," the source said.

Unfortunately, the girl's murder was later attributed to the two suspects, Ifeanyi, a Native doctor, and Chidera, who were both members of the village.

When they were caught by the neighborhood kids, they allegedly admitted to killing the girl and removing the missing body parts as part of ritualistic money-making practices.

According to a local source, "They confessed to the crime and begged for forgiveness, but the mob was resolute and they lynched them and lit them ablaze."

Police Public Relations Officer DSP Daniel Ndukwe responded to the development by confirming the event.

In response to the burning of the suspects, Ndukwe wrote in a text message: "Investigation has been launched to fish out those responsible for the alleged mobbing and setting ablaze of one Agbo Dera (m) and Ifeanyi Ugwu (m), at Ede-Oballa Nsukka, in the morning hours of today, July 4, 2022, on the allegation of the duo being responsible for the ritualistic murder of a 10-year-old girl named Eze Nkemdirim.

The victim was first reported missing on June 28, 2022, at around 1 p.m., but it wasn't until her decomposing body was discovered in a shrub in the neighborhood on July 2, 2022, that the mob took action.

Meanwhile, community people have once again been urged to support the police in their efforts to thoroughly investigate and provide the foundation for the administration of justice in criminal cases rather than turning to the kind of self-help that carries serious legal consequence.