Abia monarch laments persistent killings of subjects by cultists

The Eze Ibom Etiti and Ibom Isii of Arochukwu ancient kingdom, Abia State, HRM Mazi Amos Ngwu Egbu Okoro, has cried out over the continued gruesome attacks on his subjects by cultists.

The monarch who addressed a press conference in Umuahia over the sad development, said the entire community had been living in fears as a result of the activities of cultists in the area.

Eze Okoro who said some of his subjects had been gruesomely murdered and others maimed by the cultists demanded justice for the victims.

He solicited urgent intervention of Governor Alex Otti, alleging that security agencies have failed to come to the rescue of the community despite various petitions against the perpetrators.

The monarch said the community was willing to mention the names of the perpetrators if Government and security agencies were ready to take action.

Eze Okoro who described the insecurity in his community as precarious, said urgent action was needed to protect his subjects.

“Our children are killed unprovoked by those who are supposed to protect their own in society. Yes, as a King, I can’t cry but my heart bleeds because both the oppressed and the oppressors are my children “, he lamented.

” The attack and eventual death of Mazi Kboy Okereke; the gruesome murder of Chinedum Ezumah Ukwu in front of his own twin brother by his own kinsmen, are undesired.

” The essence of this press briefing is among others things, to seek justice which the victims have not gotten all these years”, the monarch lamented.

He called for the arrest of the perpetrators and their sponsors for peace to be restored to the community.”

” I want Government to crack down on cultism in my community. We say no to cultism, we say no to hard drugs. We know those behind hard drugs in Arochukwu and are willing to disclose them if Government is ready “.

Corroborating the monarch’s accounts, Mr Eme Okereke, a relation of one of the victims, narrated how his last brother, Kingsley Kanu Okereke, was butchered by the devil-may-care cultists in a broad daylight.

He said that his brother, 63, who was attacked by the rampaging cultists on May 5, 2023, eventually died as a result of severe bodily harm and matchete wounds inflicted on him by the cultists.

Okereke regretted that no arrests had been made since his brother died one year ago despite the fact that the victim escaped to the police station where he incidented the matter.

Similarly, parents of one of the victims, the late Chinedu Ezumah, 18-year old university admission seeker, demanded justice for their son.

A Civil Rights Activist , Onyebuchi Ndukwe, who said he had been following up Ezumah’s murder by the cultists claimed the deceased was killed for allegedly turning down the request by the cultists to join them.

He expressed dissatisfaction over the way security agents were handling investigation into the matter, saying that two persons arrested in connection with the matter had escaped but one later re-arrested.

Other members of the community at the briefing called for urgent Government intervention to protect hapless locals from cultists on the prowl.