By Ngozi Uwujare
February 1, 2022 was a black day at U1muonyiwa Mgbala Agwa Community in Oguta Local Government Area of Imo State. It was the day a 58-year-old retired Chief Superintendent of Police (CSP) Christian Kpatuma, former officer in charge of Legal Section, Delta State Police Command, was kidnapped and killed by some youths in the area.
According to reports, the youths dragged him out of his car, took him to the forest and subjected him to intense flogging before murdering him. They later took his corpse and dumped it in front of his house at Mgbala Agwa in Oguta Local Government Area of Imo State.
It was gathered that the youth killers, who are members of Degbama Confraternity, have threatened to kidnap and kill over 15 prominent personalities of the community who are on their wanted list.
The suspects, numbering over 20, also reportedly invaded the deceased’s family house, met the stepmother, stepbrothers and their wives and collected their phones. They later showed the family members where they dumped the corpse of the deceased.
The incident was reported at Oguta Police Station on February 2, 2022.
Imo State Acting Commissioner of Police, Mr Mamman Giwa told Saturday Sun that after the case was reported, he ordered the Commander of the Anti-Kidnapping Squad, Oladimeji Oyeyiyewa, a Superintendent of Police, and his operatives to go after the killers. The police operatives then stormed Umuonyima Mgbala Agwa community. During their raid on the community on February 10, some of the suspected killers reportedly escaped while four suspects were arrested. Three other suspects were arrested on March 2 in Asaba, Delta State.
Giwa said the suspects confessed to the dastardly act and that investigation was still going on.
Wife of the deceased, Mrs Blessing Kpatuma was in a mourning mood when the reporter spoke with her. She told Saturday Sun: “My late husband, Christian Kpatuma, a lawyer, was a retired police officer with his own chambers. I am a businesswoman and I assisted my husband to run his chambers. On February 1, around 9:45pm, I received a phone call from my late husband’s younger brother from the village informing me that my husband had been attacked by some hoodlums. He said he had been kidnapped in front of his house and was taken to the bush. I started calling the DPO, Commissioner of Police, head of the vigilance group and other people, appealing to them to help us to search for my husband and rescue him. I was hoping my husband would be rescued from the hands of his killers, but it was not to be. Later, my late husband’s elder brother called me on phone and told me that I should come down to the village. I saw my late husband’s car and his corpse and other relatives who later went to deposit the corpse at the mortuary.
“It was barbaric. My own husband was attacked in his car, kidnapped by the youths and taken to the bush. They flogged him and strangulated him and dropped his corpse in front of his house in the village. They went to the house, met the stepmother, stepbrothers, their wives and collected their phones. They threatened them with cutlasses and dane gun. They later marched them to where they dumped the corpse of my late husband and they went away. Is there any justice in this country? My husband was a peacemaker, humble and always wanted to assist his community with his position. Sometimes, in 2019, my late husband and myself, together with our children were also attacked. It was a Sunday morning. Two hoodlums chased us. They accosted us and told my husband that they wanted to kill him. The two hoodlums came on a bike and shot at the car, but we escaped from them. Then we drove to Ogbaku potlice Station to report the case. The officers immediately mobilised and went and rescued my cousin in the house. They later arrested the two suspects. They were charged to court and remanded at the Correctional Centre in Owerri. It is the same hoodlums that carried out the jail break in April 2021 in Owerri, Imo State. The criminals are everywhere in Imo State,” she said.
She lamented that the youth killers have 15 prominent personalities that came from Umuonyiwa Mgbala Agwa community on their wanted list.
“Some of the prominent people have run away from the village. They are mostly retired police officers, army officers and businessmen. My late husband who was killed was on their list.
“I want justice to be done on my late husband’s killing. I am appealing to Governor of Imo State, Senator Hope Uzodimma to look into the issue of these youth killers. The community leader, Igwe and the judiciary should listen to the cry of the masses of Umuonyiwa Mgbala Agwa community and wipe away their tears. What is the fate of the people? They need your help and are crying for justice. My late husband will be buried on April 8, 2022 at Grace Court Parish. Balm of Gilead at Umuonyima Mgbala Agwa in Oguta Local Government Area of Imo State,” said the grieving widow.
A younger brother of the deceased, Rev. Hummphrey Kpatuma, 53, was also, expectedly, not in a cheerful mood as he spoke with Saturday Sun. His words: “I hail from Mgbala Agwa in Oguta Local Government Area of Imo State. My elder brother, Christian Kpatuma, a lawyer and retired police officer, was kidnapped and taken to the bush and killed by those hoodlums. We are happy that seven suspects have been arrested by the police. The family and the community are saying that we want justice done.”
The acting police boss, Giwa gave the names of those arrested as Chukwudi Emeremini (Commander), 23; Chukwuma Nwabire (Jakota General), 23; Ugor Chimerizie, 20; Osondi Azuakolami Ifeanyi Atta, 28; Sunday Emerenini, Nzeke Olunonye and Okenna Alamezie.
One of the suspects, Chukwudi Emerenini spoke with Saturday Sun. His words: “We are into bunkering and are 20 in the group, I am a member of Degbama Cult Confraternity. We have been threatening prominent people in Umuonyiwa Mgbala Agwa community because they didn’t assist us. We kidnapped and murdered Barrister Kpatuma on February 1, 2022. We took him to the forest, flogged him and strangled him. We are angry with them. After killing him, some of the youth went to his family to show them his corpse.
“We ran away from the village, but police operatives later arrested us in Asaba Delta State. We killed them because they are maltreating us and were not ready to help us.”
Another suspect, Chukwuma Nwabwe, 23, in a chat, also told Saturday Sun: “Yes, we have a list of 20 prominent people we want to kill in our community, but some of them have run away. We have submitted the arms and ammunitions which we used for the killings to the police.”
DCP Giwa said that the suspects will soon be charged to court.