Two neighboring communities of Amakporo in Onicha Local Government Area and Agbebor Isu, in Onicha Local Government Area, both in Ebonyi State are at daggers drawn, pitched precariously on war path following the gruesome murder of a teenage girl, Miss Munachi Paul Obasi. The 17 years old SS 1 student from Amakporo Onicha was sent on a routine errand to a cassava processing mill at Agbebor, to grate for Garri. She concluded her assignment at the processing plant and left at about 7pm according to the plant operator.
Anxiety and apprehension however set in within the family when the girl could not return home by 8pm. Her parents paid a quick visit to the Cassava plant at Agbebor where, to their consternation; they were informed that Munachi had left for home more than an hour ago. The parents raised the alarm and a search party of Amakporo youths was mobilized and they went in search of the girl that night. It was not until the wee hours of the next day that the lifeless body of Munachi was found in a near-by bush, with a deep knife cut on her neck and marks all over her body, suggestive of long struggles/torture or rape before murder.
This dastardly act almost resulted to a fracas between Onicha and Agbebor communities but for the timely intervention of the elders of the two communities. Amakporo youths mobilized for a revenge on Agbebor, their elders took a more pacifying approach, insisting rather on justice for Munachi and allowing the law take its course. The police were promptly invited and they are presently investigating the murder case with the help of the communities and with intent on fishing out the people responsible for the dastardly act and bring them to justice. Also, the father, of the young girl murdered in cold blood, Mr. Paul Obasi is appealing to all well-meaning individuals of the community to come to his aid and ensure that the perpetrators are apprehended and made to pay for their crimes.
However, the imbroglio took a frightening turn for the worst when a section of the Amakporo community began to direct their accusing fingers on the death of Munachi towards the direction of Fulani Herdsmen encamped around their community. They openly accused the Herders of being responsible for the death of the girl and vowed to go on reprisals against the Herdsmen. Given the potential dangers such an escalation portends, the Ebonyi State Government moved in to douse the tension and diffuse the ticking time bomb. The Government issued a statement on Thursday debunking social media viral messages insinuating the involvement of Herdsmen in the death of a young lady in Onicha local government area.
A statement issued by the Government read in part: “On Wednesday, the body of a young lady from Amaporo village whose name could not be determined was discovered along a bush path between Agbebor, Isu, and Onicha-Igboeze communities. As a result of the situation, the youths formed a search party to look for the killers. However, their efforts were futile because the killers were said to have escaped. Pictures of the slain lady quickly circulated on social media, along with unconfirmed claims that the attacks were carried out by herdsmen. The victim was photographed lying lifeless on a pile of firewood, her throat slit. The government wish categorically stated that there is no evidence to link the murder to herdsmen and that no herdsmen live in the area”.
The State Commissioner for Information Uchenna Orji stated that the victim was attacked while returning from a neighboring village by criminal elements in the area. He further said: “Our attention has been drawn to a trending social media post about a young girl discovered dead in a village in Onicha Local Government Area of Ebonyi State and the impressions created about the circumstances of her death,” he said. “While the State Government condemns the heinous incident as an unacceptable brutal murder of an innocent citizen by heartless criminals, it is critical to note that, contrary to claims circulating on social media that Fulani Herders were responsible for her heinous murder, the community has seen nothing linking her death to the Fulani Herdsmen, and there is no Herders’ camp in the area. The unfortunate incident was the work of unidentified criminals who attacked and killed the deceased on her way back from processing cassava at Agbegbor village in Isu community, Onicha Local Government Area.”
“The community, in collaboration with security agencies, has declared a manhunt for the perpetrators.” “The State Government expresses its condolences to the victim’s family and assures them that the government will not stop until the killers of the young girl are apprehended,” he said.
Chris Anyanwu, a police spokesperson, confirmed the incident to our reporter. He noticed that the lady’s underwear was missing, raising the possibility that she was raped before being murdered. “An investigation into the incident has begun.” People claim she was raped because they couldn’t find her underwear. “However, only a forensic analysis will reveal if anything like that occurred,” he said.
