The Anambra State Police Command has confirmed the tragic murder of a prominent community leader in Nimo, Njikoka Local Government Area of the state, Ogbuefi Ozo Nnanyelugo, by yet-to-be-identified criminals.
Ozo Nnanyelugo, a respected elder and member of the Nimo Royal Cabinet, was allegedly abducted in his farmland by gunmen who later killed him days after, despite collecting a ransom of fifteen million naira for his release.
According to eyewitnesses, the masked assailants stormed the farmland where Chief Nnanyelugo was supervising activities, throwing the place into confusion as workers fled for their lives, abandoning only him.
The gunmen seized the elderly man at gunpoint and whisked him away, shortly after which they contacted his family and demanded a hefty sum of N15 million as ransom for his freedom.
The eyewitness further revealed that the ransom was eventually paid, but, contrary to the family’s hope and expectation, the lifeless body of the elderly man was found dumped in the same farmland days, with deep machete cuts on his head.
While the incident has sparked anxiety and thrown the entire Nimo community into mourning, reports have it that security operatives have swiftly cordoned off the area, with high-level investigations already ongoing to unmask and apprehend the perpetrators of such a heinous crime.
Many residents and stakeholders of the community have also condemned the act, calling on security agencies and the Anambra State government to speed up action to ensure that the killers are brought to justice and that urgent measures are put in place to prevent the recurrence of such crimes in the area.
Our correspondent in Anambra contacted the Police Public Relations Officer in Anambra State, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, who confirmed the incident and expressed deep regret over the tragic development. According to him, the Command was aware of the abduction and had launched efforts to secure the victim’s release before his lifeless body was later found dumped.
SP Ikenga, while commiserating with the bereaved family and the Nimo community on behalf of the Command, assured that the police would leave no stone unturned in tracking down and bringing the culprits to book.
He reiterated the Command’s commitment to intensifying its fight against crime and criminality, and to continue working closely with communities to ensure a safer Anambra.
