No fewer than 3,000 women of Umunze community in the Orumba South Local Government Area of Anambra State on Tuesday, staged a protest over the death of a septugenarian, Mrs Charity Okoli, whose body parts were harvested for rituals by hoodlums.
New National Star had last week reported that a houseboy to the late Septuagenarian with his accomplices, now at large, had harvest her nipples, genitals, tongue and other parts on the instructions of a native doctor who promised them riches if they could provide such human parts.
She was rushed to Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University Teaching Hospital, Awka, where she was receiving treatment, but later died .
On Tuesday, women of the area who trooped out to the Local Government Headquarters, Umunze, on a protest identified the prime suspect as an indigene of Abakiliki in Ebonyi State, while calling for the expulsion of all indigenes of Abakiliki residing in Umunze.
The women’s leader of the community, Mrs Bridget Enekwechi said, “We have reviewed the activities of Abakiliki people living in Umunze, and we have come to the conclusion that they must leave our community.
“They are many in our community. They impregnate our girls out of marriage; they rape our women, and are involved in most of the killings you hear in Umunze. See how they butchered Madam Charity, they will leave our community for peace to reign.”
The President General of the community, Mr Hippolite Olua who addressed the women at the council secretariat promised to ensure that the deceased, Mrs Charity would get justice even at death.
He sad, “We are calling on all of you to maintain peace and go about your protest peacefully. Our mother who was killed was a good woman, and she did not deserve to be murdered in such a gruesome manner.
“The suspect has been arrested and handed over to the police, and he confessed that a native doctor told him to bring the items for money ritual. He has refused to produce the body parts he cut from our sister, and he will be charged to court soon and jailed. We promise you to monitor the matter until justice is served.
In the meantime, the traditional ruler of the community, Igwe Promise Eze, who spoke to journalists corroborated the criminal activities of most of their tenants, saying that a register had been opened for all non-indigenes living in Umunze to register their names.
The monarch said, “We want to know those living within us, what they do for a living, where they live and also get the guarantee of their landlords that they are of good conduct.”