This is coming as the President General of the Town Union, Chief Linus Nwatu was shot dead in his house on Saturday morning by the same criminal gang.
The people of Oruku Community in the Nkanu East local government area of Enugu State have raised the alarm over the state government’s release of three persons arrested in connection with the killing of their traditional ruler, Igwe Emmanuel Mba.
This is coming as the President General of the Town Union, Chief Linus Nwatu was shot dead in his house on Saturday morning by the same criminal gang.
This is sequel to the protracted Oruku/Umuode communal conflict that had lasted for over three decades.
No fewer than eight residents, who were leaders of the community backed by Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi's government of Enugu State had been gruesomely killed in less than two years.
Those reportedly released by the government through the Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Chief Miletus Eze, were; Chukwuka Nwatu Okenwa, Onyema Edeh and Emmanuel Nwobodo.
A community source who lamented the alarming situation in the community and conspicuous government silence, told SaharaReporters on Wednesday, that Governor Ugwuanyi had earlier freed one Anayo Ede, Simon Ani, Simon Nnamani, Nonso Eze, Emmanuel Onuma, Onyeka Eze, Emmanuel Orji, Ugochukwu Ede, Onyedika Inyaba and Anayo Nwobodo, who were allegedly among the killing squad the community tracked to their hiding places, arrested and handed over to the police.
According to the source, "these people were releasaed by Governor Ugwuanyi as they were about to be charged to court. All of them were seen in Oruku wielding seven AK-47 rifles in June when they killed Dennis Ike and unleashed terror in Oruku."
SaharaReporters reported on Tuesday that the same criminal gang terrorising the community had listed six more persons to be killed including a Pastor for condemning the atrocious killings in the community.
In series of voice messages posted in a media platform tagged "Eziokwu Bu Ndu" created by Okenwa and his supporters which SaharaReporters obtained on Wednesday, it was observed they were celebrating the murder of the President General, Chief Nwatu.
One of the voices identified as Ikechukwu Okenwa, cousin of the retired federal permanent secretary, was heard speaking in vernacular that "I have confirmed it, "ha eweriwo ala zere mirri" (meaning he has been killed actually)."
Another voice, which SaharaReporters could not independently verify, was heard saying "they will use their blood to pay for all the 'offences' committed and nothing will happen. Things are going according to plan. If you say it is not you, if it is you what will you do?
"What I know is that Utinwa and his group, especially Utinwa and Ebuka nwa Paul, let them continue to run and the so-called people championing the so called peace. Let them run if it didn't happen today, it will happen tomorrow.”
Checks by SaharaReporters revealed that Utinwa Emeka and Ebuka Ogbo, who were members of the community Vigilante otherwise known as the Enugu State Neighbourhood Watch, were among the six listed by the criminal gang for elimination.
Another member of the community, who spoke to SaharaReporters on condition of anonymity, gave a vivid account of the ongoing massacre in the community, which he traced to Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi's botched peace committee.
Narrating, the source said, "On Saturday, August 20, 2022, the President-General Nwatu was preparing to go to the mortuary in the morning, to go and escort an ambulance that would bring the corpse of slain Dennis Ike to Oruku for burial. Ike was killed on June 6, 2022 by same gang.
"Earlier, he (PG) had made preparations for a meeting between the elders of the community and the killer squad, recruited to kill everyone that supported Gov. Ugwuanyi's 30/70 boundary delineation, between Oruku and Umuode.
"The killer group made peace gestures which were accepted by the PG, the Igwe elect and members of the community. After series of meetings between the bandits, the PG and Igwe elect, the bandits agreed to surrender their sophisticated weapons to the authorities, in exchange for amnesty and acceptance back into the community. It was also agreed that all pending cases against some of their members will be closed and those detained released.
"The PG and the elders asked them to return to the village and written to the Attorney General of the state, about their intention to settle out of court, so that lasting peace could return to the community. Unknown to the PG and the elders, the peace gesture was a trojan horse, designed to eliminate the leadership in Oruku.
"Before the PG could leave for the mortuary, the bandits, led by one Anayo Ede and Simon Ani, stormed his residence and shot him dead in his compound. They proceeded to the late Dennis Ike's house and shot sporadically and dispersed the mourners gathered for his funeral. They warned that he would never be buried in the community. It is very unfortunate that the same bandits that shot Dennis Ike dead, also killed the PG under the guise of peace making.
"Dennis Ike, before he was marked to be killed, made a voice note in the community's WhatsApp groups called "Oruku Jiaba Development" and "Ijeudo" a few about 4 months ago, detailing how he was recruited to move millions of naira weekly, to the GRA residence of Engineer Raymond Okenwa, a retired federal permanent secretary.
"The late Dennis explained that the money came from the sale of Umuode's landed properties in Oruku, after they were chased out of their ancestral homes by the same Eng. Raymond Okenwa, who started a bloody war that lasted for 3 decades between Oruku and Umuode. The bandits recruited and supported by Eng. Okenwa and his wife, Mrs. Kate Okenwa, laid an ambush around the late Dennis Ike's home, shot him dead and burnt his body and motorcycle beyond recognition, because he spoke out against them."
Further, the source said, "In the same way, Mr. Zik Mba, a 70 years old man was targeted and killed in broad daylight, in a market square in Oruku, because he refused to hand over 2 AK-47 rifles and 160 rounds of ammunition to Mrs. Kate Okenwa. The Okenwas earlier handed him the weapons for safe keeping. He instead, handed the weapons over to the DSS.”
Speaking further, another source said, “The killer squad is currently threatening members of the community with death, if they don't support Eng. Raymond Okenwa's agenda and send them a huge ransom. They are rejoicing that they have eliminated Gov. Ugwuanyi's government from the community.”
“Since they have overpowered and eliminated Gov. Ugwuanyi's peace process supporters in the community, they have claimed that their next target is the Igwe elect, Hon. Ejike Ani and the Umuode community. They have sworn to sack Umuode before 2023," the source lamented.