Ritual Suspicion as Two Men Kill Families in Enugu

​ENUGU — Shock, grief, and pandemonium have gripped the neighboring communities of Nkporogwu Ukehe and Agu-Ekwegbe in the Igbo-Etiti Local Government Area of Enugu State following two separate, gruesome killings perpetrated by family members within hours of each other.

​The dual tragedies, which occurred last Friday, resulted in the brutal deaths of three people, including a 60-year-old mother, her daughter, and a young granddaughter. Preliminary police findings indicate that the murders may have been driven by ritualistic motives.

​Double Tragedy in Igbo-Etiti

​The first wave of horror struck the Nkporogwu Ukehe community on Friday afternoon. Panic erupted among residents when a middle-aged man, identified as 40-year-old Onyebuchi Anikwe, allegedly attacked his 60-year-old mother, Felicia Anikwe, with a cutlass and beheaded her.

​The gruesome sight incited immediate outrage among local villagers, who formed an angry mob and severely beat the suspect before local security operatives could intervene.

​Barely minutes after the first incident, a second tragedy unfolded along the Ugwuagu/Opi/Nsukka Road in the Agu-Ekwegbe community. In a similarly violent assault, Joshua Eze allegedly hacked his sister, Nwabuche Eze, and her young daughter, Favour Eze, to death with a cutlass.

​Alerted by the violence, community members mobilized and confronted the suspect, inflicting critical injuries upon him before law enforcement arrived at the scene.

​Police Confirm Ritual Suspicions

​The Enugu State Police Command confirmed both incidents in an official statement issued by the Command’s Spokesperson, Daniel Ndukwe.

​According to the police, divisional operatives responded to the first distress call in Nkporogwu Ukehe at approximately 3:10 p.m.

​“The corpse and severed head of the deceased were recovered and taken to the hospital, where doctors confirmed her dead, after which the remains were deposited in the mortuary for preservation and autopsy,” Ndukwe stated.

​The suspect, Onyebuchi Anikwe, was rescued from the mob, arrested, and transferred to a medical facility for treatment.

​Minutes later, at 3:18 p.m., the Command’s Distress Response Squad stationed at Ekwegbe Junction intercepted a second distress call regarding the attack in Agu-Ekwegbe. While police managed to extract Joshua Eze from an enraging crowd, the command revealed that he later succumbed to his injuries while receiving medical care at the hospital.

​Law enforcement officials further revealed a dark twist to the secondary crime scene, pointing toward a suspected ritualistic element.

ADVERTISEMENT

​“Preliminary investigations further revealed that after allegedly murdering the victims, he buried their remains in a shallow grave alongside a dead white cock, suggesting possible ritual intentions,” the police statement added.

​Law Enforcement Reacts

​Reacting to the dual incidents, the Enugu State Commissioner of Police, Mamman Giwa, strongly condemned the brutal killings and ordered an immediate, comprehensive investigation into the circumstances surrounding both cases.

​Commissioner Giwa also issued a stern warning to the public against resorting to jungle justice and mob action. He urged residents to remain calm and consistently hand over suspected criminals to lawful authorities to ensure proper investigation and legal prosecution.