| By Adejumo Adekunle –
The small community of Inyi, nestled in Igbo-Eze North Local Government Area of Enugu State, was shaken by a tragic event that unfolded under the cover of an ancient ritual. Enuwa Odugu, a 48-year-old native doctor, sat quietly in police custody, insisting that the death of his client, Chikwado Eze, was not his doing. The fault, he claimed, lay in the client’s failure to follow the rules.
Chikwado, a young man on the brink of a new life abroad, had recently secured a visa and was eager for success. He believed that the fortification ritual, one meant to shield him from misfortune in his business ventures overseas, would guarantee his future. But the ritual took a dark turn. As part of the process, Chikwado was buried alive—his body entombed for an agonizing hour and a half. He never emerged from the ritual alive.
Enugu State Police Command’s spokesperson, Daniel Ndukwe, confirmed the harrowing details. Both Odugu and Chikwado’s father, Uwakwe Eze, were arrested alongside other accomplices involved in the ceremony. Investigations into the incident are ongoing, with more disturbing revelations surfacing. The native doctor confessed to the ritual but insisted the blame lay on Chikwado’s disobedience to crucial ritualistic steps.
Chikwado’s tragic end wasn’t Odugu’s first encounter with such rituals. He had performed many over the years, but this was the first to result in death. The young man had been buried inside a coffin, and when he was finally unearthed, it was too late. Rushed to the hospital, doctors could do nothing but confirm the worst—Chikwado was dead. His body now lies in a mortuary, awaiting an autopsy to confirm the cause.
As the community reeled from the incident, the police uncovered yet another gruesome crime. Kingsley Okoro, a 24-year-old former security guard, and his accomplice, 18-year-old Samuel Ogbonna, had been arrested in connection to the murder of 52-year-old Patience Nkem Charles. A long-standing grudge led the two young men to strangle Patience in her own home. Through meticulous police work, the two were caught and are now behind bars, awaiting trial.
Both cases, the police warned, are stark reminders of the dangers of misguided beliefs and unresolved personal vendettas. Investigations continue, with the legal system now left to decide the fate of the accused.
