Native doctor shoots client to death while testing anti-gun charm

The police in Enugu State said they have arrested a native doctor in Umuaram, Ikem, a community in Isi-Uzo Local Government Area of the state, for allegedly shooting his client to death in Eha-Amufu, another community in the council area.

The suspect, Emmanuel Odoh, 23, allegedly killed the victim, Onunze Benedict, in a shrine while testing a charm for protection against gunshot, which the native doctor had prepared for the victim.

The police spokesperson in the state, Daniel Ndukwe, who disclosed this in a statement on Tuesday, said the suspect was arrested on 16 November by police officers from Isi-Uzo Police Divisional Headquarters.

Mr Ndukwe, a deputy superintendent of police, said a locally-fabricated single-barreled rifle used by the native doctor has been recovered.

The Homicide Section of the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) in the state had commenced further investigation into the incident, the police said.

Abduction and attempted murder

The police spokesperson said police operatives, in a separate operation, arrested five suspects for alleged conspiracy, armed robbery, abduction and attempted murder of a truck driver and his assistant in Umuhu, a community in Isi-Uzo Council Area of Enugu.

The community shares boundary with Ebonyi State.

Mr Ndukwe said the unnamed driver, together with his assistant, was driving a Sino truck, loaded with 900 bags of cement, en-route Abakaliki, Ebonyi State, were they were attacked and abducted on 9 November at about 3 a.m. by the suspects and others who are at large.

The suspects were armed with machetes and other weapons during the attack, he said.

He gave the suspects names as Everest Ayokalam, 48, Anayo Akakem, 33, Kelechi Iwuanyanwu, 32, Uchenna Iwuoha, 47, and Chimankpa Nnorom, 32, — all males and residents of Imo State, where they were arrested.

“They were arrested at Ikeduru in Imo State on 12 November, through the concerted efforts of police operatives serving in Isi-Uzo Police Division of the Command and their counterpart in Imo State Command, after acting on credible information,” the police spokesperson said.

He said the suspects allegedly dragged the victims to a forest, beat them up and tied them to a tree, before absconding with the truck and bags of cement.

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“The suspects confessed to the crime, while the truck was recovered alongside 789 bags of the cement from the warehouse of Everest Ayokalam, the receiver of the exhibits,” Mr Ndukwe said.

Unlawful possession of fire arms

Mr Ndukwe said the police also arrested six other male suspects in a building along Nsukka-Makurdi Highway, Ninth Mile, in Udi Council Area, for unlawful possession of fire arms.

The suspects were arrested by police operatives serving in Nineth Mile Police Divisional Headquarters, on 24 November at about 3.20 p.m.

The police spokesperson identified the suspects as, Stephen Anigbo, 23, Promise Iyere, 28, Charles Onoh 24 and Obinna Joseph, 19.

Others were, Charles Obilor, 25, and Chibuike Ede, 24 – all males.

Mr Ndukwe said investigation into the incident at the Anti-Robbery Section of the SCID has revealed that three of the suspects, linked to a similar case earlier reported, were planning to commit felonious crimes before they were arrested.

Robbery

The police spokesperson said, in another development, a combined team of police operatives drawn from Awkunanaw Police Divisional Headquarters, Operation Restore Peace and Safer Highway Patrol, with assistance from a neigbourhood watch group, arrested five other suspects for alleged robbery.

He gave the suspects’ names as Kasie Ani, 25, Tochukwu Igwe, 25, and Felix Maduakonam, 24.

Others were Chidera Okoye, 21, and Jennifer Nwafor, 17, the only female among the suspects.

“Their arrest is sequel to the team’s swift response to a distress call alleging that the suspects blocked the road at the Garriki Axis of Enugu/Port-Harcourt Expressway and were robbing travellers,” the police said.

Mr Ndukwe said four male suspects were initially arrested after their victims were rescued, before the female suspect was later arrested for harbouring one of the male suspects.

Three mock rifles allegedly used by the suspects for criminal operations, 21 pieces of wrappers, clothes, mobile phones, ATM cards and other valuables belonging to their victims, were recovered from the suspects, according to the police.

Arraignment

The police spokesperson said although some suspects were already arraigned, others would be charged as soon as investigations were concluded.