Magnus Eze, Enugu

The Enugu State Government has condemned the alleged murder of a woman in a farmland at Nchatancha community in Emene, Enugu East Local Government Area.

In a statement by the Secretary to the State Government, Prof. Simon Ortuanya, the government condoled with the family of the deceased and charged the security agencies to commence a full scale investigation into the unfortunate incident with a view to apprehending and prosecuting the culprits.

In a similar development, Ugwuanyi directed chairmen of the 17 councils, who are yet to mount vigilante security checkpoints in their respective areas to do so within two weeks, to ensure adequate security operations in their localities.

The statement by Prof. Ortuanya said the state government “deeply appreciates the good people of the state for their cooperation and support and reassured them that “we are winning the war against criminality.”

There was confusion in the Emene part of Enugu, yesterday, following the alleged rape and killing of a 67-year-old woman, Mrs. Regina Mba, by persons suspected to be Fulani herdsmen.

Also, Kaosisochukwu Anioma, daughter to Frank Anioma, aide to former Deputy Senate President was kidnapped at about 7:00am, yesterday, in Enugu metropolis.

The incident which occurred at the Nchatacha-Nike suburb of Enugu East Local Government Area of  the state caused total gridlock as youths from the area protesting the gruesome murder, blocked traffic on the ever-busy Enugu-Abakaliki highway.

Spokesman of Enugu State Police Command, Ebere Amaraizu who confirmed the incident said the commissioner of police, Suleiman Balarabe had directed a full scale investigations into the incident.

President General of Nchatancha-Nike community,  Kingsley Anike said:  “She (the deceased) went to farm yesterday (Wednesday) within the hours of 2pm and six in the evening, she was attacked.

“Later in the evening when we expected her home, she didn’t come back. We started searching for her throughout the night and this morning (yesterday), there was an expanded search team.

“It wasn’t really a distant farm, it is a nearby farm because people are not leaving far from the location, so we saw her corpse and on getting there, we saw her undies were torn apart, lying by the side, she sustained stabbing on her hands and at the back of her neck and she was dead already.

“We called the police who have visited the scene and took photo shots of the whole situation. The body has been deposited in the mortuary,” she said.

It was confirmed that the corpse had been deposited at the mortuary of the Annunciation Hospital for autopsy.

Anioma, former Chairman of Nkanu East Local Government Area, had taken to his Facebook page to raise the alarm over the alleged kidnap of his daughter.

He said she was kidnapped, yesterday morning at about 7am on her way to New Haven Market. He added that her phone was ringing without response; but “now it’s ringing line busy.”

Sympathisers trooped to their off Abakaliki Road, GRA, Enugu residence once the news went viral.

There was no contact with the captors as at press time.