17-year-old Girl beheaded in Abia

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.


Source: The Nation