Residents of Ideani Community in Idemili North Local Government Area of Anambra State have been thrown into grief and shock following the discovery of the bodies of three children inside a prayer house operated by a woman described as a self-acclaimed prophetess.
The tragic incident, which occurred on Monday, has sparked tension in the community, with the police launching an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the deaths.
The President-General of Ideani Community and Secretary of Idemili North Local Government Area, Hon. Engr. Paul Okoye, who spoke with our correspondent on Wednesday, said he received a distress call from the Chairman of Umuoduba Village informing him that four children, aged between six and 15, had slept in the woman’s house, but only one was found alive, though in critical condition.
According to Okoye, he immediately alerted the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) of the Ogidi Division and the Mayor of Idemili North, Mr. Stanley Nkwoka, who promptly mobilised security personnel to the scene.
“The woman was initially known in the community as someone running a Christian ministry, and she was profiled as such when she settled in Ideani,” Okoye said. “She also engaged in livestock farming, including pig and poultry rearing.”
He, however, alleged that what security operatives later discovered inside the premises contradicted the woman’s claim of operating a Christian ministry.
“When we inspected the premises with the police, we found what appeared to be fetish objects. From what I saw, I believe she is either a native doctor or an Ezenwanyi practitioner rather than a Christian minister,” he said.
Okoye further alleged that the suspect claimed to be an Ezenwanyi practitioner and said she possessed a certificate to that effect, although she had yet to produce it.
He said the police thoroughly searched the compound after returning with the suspect from custody to gain access to areas that had initially been inaccessible during the first search.
“The bodies of the three deceased children were evacuated by ambulance and deposited in a morgue on the orders of the police, while the surviving child was rushed to a hospital for urgent medical attention,” Okoye said, expressing hope that the survivor would recover and provide investigators with crucial information about what transpired.
He also disclosed that the Mayor had informed the Special Adviser to the Governor on Homeland and Community Security, Chief Ken Emeakayi, to facilitate further investigation into items recovered from the premises.
The community leader appealed for calm, saying residents were angry and had threatened to burn down the property but were persuaded not to take the law into their own hands.
He urged the public to allow security agencies to conduct a thorough investigation and establish the circumstances surrounding the tragic deaths.
Police authorities had yet to issue an official statement on the incident as of the time of filing this report.
