Over 30 unidentified bodies, suspected to be victims of ritual killings, have been discovered in the Imo River at Oriendu autonomous community, Umuahia North local government area of Abia State since last year.
HRH Eze Philip Ajomiwe, the traditional ruler of the community, revealed this during an interview with LEADERSHIP Sunday at his palace following the discovery of a woman’s body.
“The bodies, like the recent one, are either completely naked and missing their private parts or found in a bag. There have also been cases of two decomposing bodies seen beside the NNPC pipeline,” he stated.
The monarch expressed concern over the lack of arrests by security agents, noting that the situation was escalating and instilling fear in the community.
Efforts by the community’s vigilante group to apprehend the suspects have been unsuccessful due to their lack of equipment compared to the suspects.
“We are appealing to the state government to empower the vigilante group with the necessary logistics and resources to match the suspects,” he said.
He emphasized that no one embarks on such a mission unarmed, especially when the enemy is equipped with sophisticated weapons and ready to retaliate.
Despite his complaints to the authorities, including a recent letter to the speaker of the State House of Assembly on February 7, no action has been taken.
While appreciating the government’s increase in monthly stipends for traditional rulers, the monarch noted that the amount is insufficient to address the community’s security challenges. He stressed the need for government intervention to ensure peace and security in the community.
