The beheading of a 17-year-old girl, Chioma
Emeka Ikwuagwu, by unknown killers has caused
tension between Ameke and Ukome communities
in Umuahia North Local Government Area of Abia
State.
The late Chioma hails from Ameke but lived with her
parents at Ukome, where she was killed. The bereaved
community of Ameke is said to have given Ukome
three days to produce their daughter.
The notice expired on July 30, thus creating
apprehension in Ukome community. Sources at
Ukome said the deceased, who was an SSS3 student of
Holy Rosary College, Umuahia, was the first of five
children.
Her father, Emeka Ikwuagwu, told reporters that on
July 26, he went to collect some corn from one of his
farm while his wife, Akunna, led some people to weed
their other farm. Ikwuagwu said Chioma brought food
to the farm for her mother and the workers at noon.
He said: “She was asked to go to another farm to
collect some vegetables for use later that evening and
she never came back.
It was the last time she was seen alive. “When she did
not return, her mother went in search of her, only to
discover blood everywhere at the farm and she
alerted me.
“I immediately organised a search party to look for
her around the farm and her lifeless body was found
at a nearby spot with palm fronds covering her.
“When we found her, her jeans were drawn down
close to her lap, she clutched tightly to her underwear
with one hand with machete cuts on her other arm.
Her head had been cut off.
“We left the body like that so that the police could see
it. They (police) came on Saturday morning to remove
the body and deposited it at the City Gate Mortuary,
Umuahia, after the Federal Medical Centre rejected it.”
A source said upon hearing the news, Ukome youths
searched the bush for the killers. He said: “They didn’t
find anything.
The father was compelled by tradition to report the
incident to his kinsmen at Ameke, which he did. “On
July 28, they marched on Ukome with wooden gongs
and symbolic palm fronds, which they handed down
to Ukome people, demanding their daughter or her
killers.” It was gathered that a suspect has been
arrested.
The man is said to have threatened the family over a
piece of land because of a piece of land willed to
Ikwuagwu by his late grandmother. Police spokesman
Geoffrey Ogbonna said the command was aware of
the matter, but that they are still waiting for full
details before starting investigations.
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