There is palpable fear in Ubulu-Uku, Aniocha South Local Government Area of Delta State, as gunmen shot dead a member of Ubulu-Uku Vigilance group.
Also, a 76-year-old woman, Theresa Okocha, was beaten to death in her house at Agbonta Quarters in the same town.
At the time of filling this report, members of the vigilance group and hunters were combing the bushes.
A community source, Ikechukwu, said,” Today, Monday, October 9, a member of Ubulu-Uku Vigilance group, Sule, from Isho Quarters, had resumed duty on Ubulu-Uku-Isele-Uku road, but he didn’t know that gunmen had laid ambush on him, so. as he was changing his clothes, to his officials uniform, a man shot him in his head and he died before help could come. The killing of Sule angered his colleagues and hunters who started combing the bushes in search of the brigands.
” I must confess, Ubulu-Uku is under heavy attack by criminals. Just last week, a man was abducted almost at the same place that Sule was shot. Two weeks ago, another victim was kidnapped. We are in our worst trying moment*.
On the murder of Okocha, she was living alone in her compound, but was found unconscious in her room with bruises all over her body and serious injuries on her face, but she was unable to tell what happened to her.
One of her relatives, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said the woman might have been unconscious for days,” it was after about two days that people noticed that Aunty Theresa, as she is fondly called, had not been coming out from her house for about two days, so neighbours became worried and decided to check on her, only to see her lying unconscious on the floor. Her body was full of bruises, showing that she was beaten up or attacked. We decided to rush her to the hospital. Unfortunately, she died a few days in the hospital, but she was unable to tell her stories.
” But with swollen mouth, eyes and bruises all over her body, her attacker beat her up. She was seriously beaten, but I don’t understand why she could not shout or raise the alarm as her closest neighbours claimed that they did not hear any sign of quarrel or scuffle. Well, the motive behind her killing is baffling.
” Her death has caused serious panic in our once peaceful and serene community. I don’t know what is going on in our community. Ubulu-Uku used to be peaceful. I don’t know whether it is because of development in the community that many atrocities are happening. A few months ago, a young promising footballer, was shot dead in a popular restaurant by suspected Cultists. There are constant reports of burglaries. All these are strange developments that the Obi in Councils and Ubulu-Uku Development Union should look into. We can’t fold our arms and watch Ubulu-Uku go down in this evil way. Everybody is in serious panic, we are seeing evil in once a peaceful community.
” I am, therefore, sending a serious appeal to the Obi in Councils, to do the needful, using the traditional ways to stop the menace of criminals in the community. Let them place curses on the evildoers so that the menace will cease to exist. We know that there is a particular village that is known for raining curses. The people should be contacted. Again, I am appealing to Aniocha-South LGA chairman, Pastor Jude Chukwuwike, to do the needful by empowering our vigilante groups so that they will carry out their duty diligently. Our Vigilance groups should step up and arrest those behind all the atrocities that are tarnishing the image of our community. Lastly, let our town development union, step in to address the ugly development in Ubulu-Uku. I specifically appeal to the President General of Ubulu-Uku Descendant Union, to do the needful by addressing the issue “.
Meanwhile, a Police officer at Ubulu-Uku Police post, said the matter has not been officially reported to the police, but said,” That doesn’t mean that we can’t do our best, we are going to commence investigation”.
However, a community leader, Mr Tony Osedebe, has sent a save-our-souls to Delta State Commissioner of Police Mr Wale Abass to do something drastic about the situation in Ubulu-Uku.
