By Kamsi Anayo, Awka
Youths of Ifite Village in Nanka Community, Orumba North Local Government Area of Anambra State, have given the leadership two days ultimatum to act on the death of one Mr. Osondu Ezemmaduchukwu in the custody of the local vigilante in the village.
Osundu, a 22-year-old young man was said to have been tortured to death by the local vigilante operatives, while in their custody for alleged robbery.
It was gathered that Osondu, his elder brother, Robinson Ezemmaduchukwu, and one of their neighbours, identified as Onyeneke, were arrested and locked up in Ifite Village Hall by the vigilante operatives, who also use the hall as office.
It was alleged that the local vigilante refused to hand them and other suspects over to the police for proper investigation but rather detained them in their custody.
The vigilante was said to have tortured the suspects till till Osondu died in their hands after vomiting on Wednesday.
Photos of Osondu’s elder brother, Robinson, which emerged and went viral on the social media when he was eventually released from the vigilante custody after his brother’s demise, show that he himself was also inflicted with severe and gory wounds and injuries all over his body during his nine-day stay in the custody.
Following these, the village youths of Ifite Nanka, on Friday gave the leadership of the village a two-day ultimatum to act on the matter and ensure that the perpetrators of the evil and deadly acts are seriously dealt with, to serve as deterrent to others.
The youths wondered why vigilante would have the guts to subject suspect to such a harrowing process of torture without sympathy.
They alleged that the victim was hung with a rope and tortured to death.
The village youths also called on the Ifite Village Chairman, Mr. Mike Ezemmaduka, to immediately retract the alleged unfounded claims and statement he was made against the murdered Osondu.
Ezemmaduka claimed, that the jare Osondu fainted while trying to escape, but was caught and brought back to the detention center by the vigilante operatives, shortly after which he died.
The Chairman also claimed that “Osondu died of evil, bad behaviour and stealing.”
All efforts to get the reaction of the Spokesperson of the Anambra State Police Command, DSP Ikenga Tochukwu, proved abortive, as he was not responding to his phone calls.
Recall that the Police Spokesman had earlier said that he had not received any information on the matter, and promised to get back to this reporter after making enquiries.
Robinson Ezemmaduchukwu Elder Brother of the Deceased who survived the torture
