The strangled kids – Chukwuebuka 13 years (male), Chukwumelum, six years (male), Obumnnewe, three years (male) and Chineyenwa one year and three months (female) were the children of Mr. Ogechukwu and Mrs. Nwaneka Okonkwo, natives of Ekwulumili, in Nnewi Local Council , but lived as tenants at Igbo-ukwu.
Narrating the incident from her sick bed at the Ekwulumili Health Centre, Mrs. Nwaneka, 28, said the incident, which happened on Tuesday, came as a rude shock to her.
“In the morning, before I left with my husband for a burial at Ekwulumili, I instructed my eldest son Chukwuebuka, to take his siblings to stay with a neighbour till we came back”.
She said when they came back around 5.00 p.m. that day, she discovered that the main gate was bolted from inside, and when they got in, the second gate was open.
“I then called on Chukwuebuka and others, but there was no response. Then, to my surprise, I discovered that the well that was normally locked was open”.
According to Mrs. Okonkwo, she traced the children to the neighbour’s house and was told they did not come there.
“When I came back from the neighbour’s house, I ran to our room and found three of my children in a suspicious sitting position but Chukwuebuka was not there. When I lifted my daughter, because of her sitting position, I discovered she was dead. So were the others, and with my husband, we raised an alarm which attracted our neighbours.
She said at this point, one Blessing emerged from the toilet and joined them, asking what had happened.
She said, “We discovered finger nail scars and injuries on their necks, which suggested they were all strangled”.
The search for Chukwuebuka led us to the well where his lifeless body was floating, and when he was brought out, there were injuries, also suggesting that he must have been attacked”.
Continuing, Nwaneka who is receiving treatment for shock and injuries, said, “I challenged and accused Blessing, who hails from Nsukka, Enugu State, of killing my children, since there was nobody else in the compound, and a fight ensued between us,” adding that her husband was watching.
According to her, some youths and elders who arrived the scene intervened, arrested the lady and took her and the husband to Ekwulobia Police Station. The corpse of the four kids were also taken to the mortuary.
Mrs. Okonkwo described the incident as devastating, adding that the loss of her four children had dampened her spirit.
She urged the police to consider her plight and do justice to whoever was responsible.
However, a source close to the family alleged that Mr. Okonkwo, a furtnitue maker, was befriending Blessing and promised to marry her, but the lady felt disappointed when she discovered that the man was married with four children.
When contacted, the state Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. Ralph Uzoigwe was not available for comment but his Deputy, ASP Emeka Chukwuemeka confirmed the incident, adding that the man and his alleged girl -friend had been arrested and detained at the command headquarters, Amawbia.
“The matter is under investigation, the SCID has taken over the matter. When the investigation is concluded, we will be able to know what role each suspect played, and police will make the report public, “Mr. Chukwuemeka said.
When Guardian visited the scene at Obiuno village, Igbo-ukwu yesterday, some kinsmen of the landlord, Mr. Sunday Ezeanyim from Umuechefu family, were seen gathered and deliberating on the matter. A spokesman of Umuechefu family, Hon Adimuo Chibuike said they have come to console the bereaved family and find solution to the problem, describing the incident as abomination which has never happened in their community before.
“We also have to consult our elders on how to cleanse this compound and our land to avert such occurrence in the future”, he said.
Guardian also discovered that the building where the children were allegedly strangled is isolated, and the Okonkwo family were the only tenants living and taking care of the house for the landlord is said to reside outside Anambra State.
So sad,too bad nothing can bring the innocent children back.
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