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Tension has heightened in Anambra community over the alleged gruesome murder of one of the sisters of the renowned novelist Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie by unknown gunmen.
The incident happened at Ogbunike, Oyi local government area on July 19.
The 40-year-old daughter of Abba, Njikoka local government area and mother of five, Mrs Nkiru Okoye, was said to have been killed without any cause.
Her husband, the family and the community are demanding justice over her death.
Anambra Police Public Relations Officer, Ikenga Tochukwu, confirmed the incident.
He said investigations had already commenced on the matter while some of his men had been deployed to the community to maintain law and order.
Tochukwu, said the Command and other agencies would not allow some criminal elements to disturb the peace existing in the state.
The deceased’s family had threatened if the suspect were not produced, they would be forced to take laws into their hands to avenge the death of their sister.
On what transpired, the husband of the deceased, Mr Emenike Okoye, said he was preparing for work while his late wife (Nkiru) was preparing to travel home (Abba) for a meeting of Umuada (Daughters of her kindred in Abba) when her assailants stormed their house around 7-8am
“We did not do anything. They overpowered us, beat us to stupor and left. Later when my children have gone to school, they returned with some persons and dangerous weapons, including axe.
“They dragged my wife outside the house, hit and killed her with axe and chair. She felled and died. When I resisted their move to drag me outside too, they broke my hand with an axe, dragged me outside; hitting me with the axe all over my body until I passed out.
“You can see the cut on my eyes. They left me thinking that I was also dead. But God helped me to wake up later. I reported the incident to our local vigilante and they drove me to hospital,” he said.
Emenike, whose five children- two boys and three girls- are still between age 3 and 11 appealed for justice over the death of his 40-year-old wife.
He said: “I’m deeply in pain. My hand is broken. I cannot stand or sit down. My waist is paining me. My head is heating like hot water. I cannot see well with my eyes. I need serious medical attention,” he lamented.
Some members of Ogbunike Daughters Association (Umuada Ogbunike), Mrs Nkechinyeru Nwoye and Ms Ogochukwu Okoye, described the incident as abomination.
They added that they had mandated the local vigilante and their brothers (male folks of the kindred) to double efforts towards bringing justice to Emenike and his late wife.
The younger brother of late Nkiru, Mr Chidiebele Okelue, said that Abba people would never rest until justice was assured
He appealed to the Commissioner of Police, Inspector General of Police and other security agencies to help in bringing the culprits to book.