From Obinna Odogwu, Awka
Residents of Umunakwa Ifite, Oraifite community, in Ekwusigo Local Government Area of Anambra State were roused from sleep in the early hours of Sunday, June 6, by sudden, heavy gunshots in their area.
At first, the jolted villagers thought that it was a robbery, and as such scampered around to ensure that their homes were securely locked. But it didn’t take long before the picture became clearer.
One of their illustrious sons, Ifeanyi Ejiofor, a lawyer, often played host to security operatives who usually stormed his home in commando style at any time of the day or night.
Ejiofor is counsel to the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and their leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, and as such takes care of their legal matters, including court representations.
Given that IPOB had been proscribed by the Federal Government, anybody who identifies with the group in whatever capacity is tagged an enemy of the state as well.
So, that fateful night, security operatives believed to comprise a joint team of the army, police, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) and others allegedly raided his house. The raiders were also said to have come with a native doctor, who wore amulets, as well as a medical doctor.
A report by the International Society for Civil Liberties and Rule of Law (Intersociety), signed by its board chairman, Emeka Umeagbalasi, and Chidimma Udegbunam, alleged that the security agents laid siege to Ejiofor’s house at about 2:30am before moving in shortly after.
It was not clear what prompted the raid, which turned out bloody and destructive. In fact, it was a night of terror, fear and anxiety, particularly for residents of the calm community.
This raid came one year and seven months after a similar one on the same compound during a funeral. In that raid that took place on Friday, November 29, 2019, two policemen and two members of IPOB reportedly died in the ensuing clash.
Many residents fled from the village to evade police arrest. When the pandemonium settled, many houses had been torched. Ejiofor’s residence was reportedly razed by security officers.
One of the villagers whose house was riddled with bullets, Mr. Basil Egwuatu, told Daily Sun at the time that his louvers were shattered even as he relocated to Nnewi with his family for safety reasons.
“The 11 stores in front of my house were set ablaze allegedly by the police. They shot sporadically at my house and shattered all the glass windows. People’s motorcycles were also set ablaze. They shot at the fuel tank and the thing went up in flames”, Egwuatu had lamented.
Narrating what transpired, Ejiofor, in a press release, said that he had no idea why his house was attacked. He alleged that the security operatives killed his personal assistant, who hailed from Ebonyi State, and burnt the corpse in his car.
Ejiofor narrated thus: “Upon my return home on Saturday, June 5, 2021, I was informed that the Catholic Archbishop of Onitsha Province, Most Rev. Valerian Okeke, wanted to see me in a meeting, which I thought would be a private one.
“I honoured this invitation, where His Grace raised a number of pertinent issues and, consequently, commended me for my untiring efforts toward achieving peace in our region.
“His Grace prayed for me and equally offered further useful advice. We agreed for a formal meeting where major stakeholders would be notified and represented. I left the Bishop’s Court, but not until His Grace blessed me for the umpteenth time, and prayed for me and my friend who was in my company.
“I drove back home in my red Toyota car, the same car the men in security uniform stole from my house during their bloody attack on my home, and inside the same car my PA and car itself were set ablaze.
“I have no doubt in my mind that His Grace will be distraught to hear that the very fine gentleman, Mr. Samuel Okoro, he prayed for on Saturday, was brutally murdered by agents in less than seven hours after visiting him.
“Due to the traffic situation in Onitsha at that time of the day (when) we left the Bishop’s Court, we spent hours trying to manoeuvre the traffic and got home eventually at about 8.30pm.
“I was gravely worn out after a long journey and decided to shower and sleep, in preparation for another meeting coming up the following morning at 10.
“I was in deep sleep when they struck. The barking of my security dogs and sounds of guns in and around my home could simply tell me that there was danger and unusual movement in my peaceful home.
“Initially, I couldn’t fathom what the problem could be but what I know and can tell the public on this part of my press release is that they will hear it all with impeccable evidence to demonstrate the atrocities that were committed in my peaceful home by the agents.
“I saw as it all happened. It was like a movie. I saw and overheard them directing my domestic staff who never resisted them in any manner to take them upstairs where their Oga was sleeping at the time, but my staff kept on telling them that “Oga is not in this house.”
“Shooting and heavy beatings were simultaneously going on. The time was 2.30am. I saw Biggie on the ground being beaten and shot at, before somebody, presumably a medical doctor in their company, injected him with what I believe to be a lethal substance.
“The lifeless body of Biggie was dragged on the floor of my compound to my parked car. My driver, who apparently was in possession of my car keys at the time, was ordered at gunpoint to open the booth of the car where his body was dumped.
“Efforts to access where I had hidden in order to finish the job for which they came proved abortive as they couldn’t breach the multiple bullet proof doors leading to where I took refuge.
“The native doctor they brought along with them was armed with all sorts of charms and he was busy making incantations and directing them to where he felt I was.
“Midway into their invasion of my home, their search for me was suddenly stopped and they consequently vanished with my harmless and innocent staff they abducted, including the lifeless body of Biggie.
“These evil men left my house around 3.45am, having killed, vandalized and terrorized my household for over one hour and 15 minutes.
“They stole my car and left my home along with over 15 Hilux vans, Toyota Hiace buses and armoured personnel carrier, they came with. On getting to Okacha Filling Station in Neni, they dragged out my elder brother, Mr. Joel Ejiofor, who was equally abducted during the invasion, and directed him to disappear from their sight.
“It was after my brother left, that my car was set ablaze with Mr. Samuel Okoro inside the car. He was not only killed, his body was burnt beyond recognition. I wish to ask who directed this criminal and deadly invasion of my house to tell me what crime Samuel Okoro committed.
“For the record, the late Mr. Samuel Okoro hailed from Ebonyi State and has been with me for the past four years. He was a brother, a dependable friend and a refined gentleman. I will forever miss him.
“While struggling to control myself at this point in time, I am indeed broken and traumatized, not that I committed any offence known to law or that Samuel Okoro even did anything wrong, but because he was murdered in the most bizarre, barbaric, brutal and heinous manner.
“For the record, I have been the general counsel to IPOB and Mazi Nnamdi Kanu since 2015. Illegal proscription of IPOB is a subject of appeal and further pronouncement has not been made on that by a superior court of records.”
When contacted, the police public relations officer in the state, DSP Ikenga Tochukwu, said the “picture” of what transpired at the residence of Nnamdi Kanu’s lawyer, Ejiofor, in Oraifite “was not yet clear.”
He promised to get back to the reporter with full details but never did. When contacted a few days later, he did not answer his phone and nor return the call. He did not also reply to text and WhatsApp messages sent to him at the time of filing this report.