The people of Umunkpumente kindred in Ihie Autonomous Community, Ishiagu, in Ivo Local Government Area of Ebonyi State, who were attacked by thugs while holding a meeting, have urged Governor Francis Nwifuru, the State Commissioner of Police, CP Hope Urunwa Okafor, and the Department of State Service, DSS, to ensure the arrest and prosecution of the perpetrators.
The victims were claimed to have been attacked at the property of Late Fabian Okonkwo, who was brutally slain at his home on April 16, 2026, after being threatened by some members of the neighbourhood.
Some of the victims who talked with journalists said the trouble began when residents of the village signed a petition to the state governor and the commissioner of police demanding them to investigate Mr. Okonkwo’s death and arrest the perpetrators.
While relating his story, one of the victims, Mr. Christopher Okonkwo, Chairman of the Umunkpumente kindred, stated that sometime in April 2026, one Mr Fabian Okonkwo lost his in-law and requested permission to bury him in Ekembe, Ihie Autonomous Community, Ishiagu.
He stated that Late Fabian Okonkwo addressed the Town Union President General, one Chijoke Ume, to notify him of his plans to bury his in-law at Ekembe, but the community chairman flatly refused, claiming that he could not bury his in-law in Ekembe.
He went on to threaten him that if he goes against his viewpoint, he will have him to deal with.
Late Fabian then went to Eze Gabriel Okoro, the traditional ruler of Ihie Autonomous Community, to seek his approval, and the Eze granted him permission because the land in question belonged to the late Fabian and his family, who had already agreed that his in-law should be buried there.
After receiving consent from the traditional king, he left the palace and returned home.
Gunmen arrived at his house early on April 16th and shot him many times in the head, killing him before help arrived. Nothing was taken from him, indicating that he was assassinated.
Christopher Okonkwo continued, “After receiving the information, the Chairman of Ivo LGA, Chief Emmanuel Aja, and the Divisional Police Officer, Ivo LGA, arrived and brought the corpse to the mortuary without alerting us of his murderers.
“After waiting for several weeks and the police not doing anything to solve the mystery surrounding the killing, we, the kindred members, petitioned the state governor and the commissioner of police against Chijoke Ume, the President General of the Ihie Community, who had previously threatened him with death, and he was arrested along with his Secretary, Kenneth Kalu.
“On June 3rd, the local government Chairman called and asked me to go and make sure that the President General and Secretary arrested were released from police custody.
” I assured him that petitioning the governor and the police about Fabian’s murder was a choice made by the kindred, not by me. He urged that I return to the police and retract the petition, ensuring that they were released.