George Onyejiuwa, Owerri
Celebration rent the air at Ohaji, an oil-rich community in Ohaji/Egbema Council of Imo State penultimate Tuesday, following the death of one of the most notorious cultists and kidnappers, Chijioke Onyeeze, alias “Bracket” at the hands of the combined team of police and the army during a gun duel with the deceased and his gang members.
Bracket and his gang members who were believed to have been terrorising Ihie, Obiti and other communities within Ohaji/Egbema were allegedly responsible for the kidnapping and subsequent death of one Obioma Iheka, who was robbed and killed on April 6, 2020.
His other victims were Maduakolam Nwoguzo, killed on April 14, 2020 and Alozie Amadi, who was killed on June 4, 2020.
The spokesman of the Imo State Police Command, Mr. Orlando Ikeokwu (SP), said that Bracket, who had been on the Most Wanted List of the state command was eventually killed last Tuesday during a gun duel between him and a combined team of the police and the army. He also disclosed that an AK47 was recovered from him.
Ikeokwu further disclosed that the police operatives had spread their dragnet to catch other fleeing members of the notorious gang who escaped with bullet wounds.
Meanwhile, members of the Ohaji community have heaved a sigh of relief over the death of Bracket whom they labelled a devil incarnate because of his ruthlessness.
Uzoma an indigene of Ohaji community said that the evil activities of the deceased and members of his gang had created fear in the minds of the indigenes of communities in Ohaji/Egbema.
He said: “Most often this Bracket and members of his gang would waylay the indigenes of the community especially on market days and rob them of both cash and goods and if they delayed in handing over their cash that would mean instant death. Even the people were often afraid of going to their farms especially women for fear of rape by Bracket and members of his gang. However, when news of his death filtered into the community, there was celebration and we must commend both the police and the army for ridding the community of this evil element.”
Similarly, Okoro of Ihie community expressed his feelings this way: “This young man who called himself Bracket and members of his gang were the worst things that had happened to the people of Ohaji in recent times because he was a ruthless killer and rapist. He and his gang members simply killed for the pleasure of killing; he killed three persons from April to June before he was killed when he and his gang had engaged the army and police on their way into the community.”