Umuele, Umunakanu, in Ehime Mbano Local Government Area of Imo State, has been thrown into deep mourning, following the alleged gruesome murder of a member of the community, Mr. Onyekaozuru Ezeji.
Vanguard gathered that troubled started when Ezeji, a bricklayer, went on a debt recovery drive to the home of his alleged killer, also a member of the community.
Although it was not clear at press time how much was owed the deceased bricklayer, Vanguard, however, gathered that the suspect, said to be an Indian hemp dealer, threatened to summarily deal with Ezeji if he did not leave his premises immediately.
“A scuffle ensued midway into their shouting match and the man brought out a sharp knife and stabbed Ezeji. He started bleeding profusely from the wound sites” a witness who pleaded anonymity recounted.
The eyewitness said the Indian Hemp dealer quickly invited a commercial motorcycle operator to assist him move the wounded man to a nearby hospital.
He also recalled that the victim collapsed and died before getting to the anticipated hospital, following which the duo dumped the lifeless body of Mr. Ezeji on the road side and fled.
“Officers and men of Ehime Mbano Police Division quickly rushed to the place as soon as they got a report about the incident, and moved Ezeji’s remains to an undisclosed hospital morgue,” the witness said.
Vanguard also gathered that two persons, including the younger brother of the fleeing suspect and the commercial motorcycle operator, have been arrested by the police, while the main suspect is still on the run at press time.
While confirming the incident to newsmen, the Vice Chairman of Umuele kindred, Mr. Ethel Ogu, also said the town union executives had severally advised the fleeing drug dealer to stop the illicit trade but he refused.
“We severally warned the suspect to stop the illicit drug trade, which fuelled influx of unknown faces into our kindred at odd times, but he never took the warning before this incident,”Ogu said.
When Vanguard visited the palace of the traditional ruler of Umunakanu autonomous community, Eze Onyeji, his aides said that although he was not at home at the time, he quickly said he would not want to be drawn into the incident.
The mobile line of the Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, Mr. Andrew Enwerem, a deputy superintendent of police, could not be reached before press time, for his comment, but another police source claimed that Homicide Detectives had already started investigating the matter.