Palpable confusion and apprehension reigned supreme as the remains of a community leader at Eziali, Mgbidi, who was reportedly kidnapped by hoodlums and later buried alive, was exhumed.
Vanguard investigations revealed that the gunmen, who eventually turned out to be assassins, abducted their victim on December 27, 2012, and nobody heard from him or knew where he was kept until his lifeless and decomposing body was exhumed after the arrest of the perpetrators of the beastly act.
It was also gathered that the deceased had a land dispute with one
of his kinsmen (names withheld), who eventually hired about five assassins and charged them to execute the operation.
A villager, who was at the scene of the exhumation, told Vanguard that “the five-man gang abducted their victim from his home and buried him alive at Ozara, a neighbouring village in Oru West local council area of Imo State”.
The story changed when the hoodlums asked for N30 million ransom from their victim’s family, who quickly informed the police, as well as played effectively along with the criminals and under the watchful eye of the security personnel.
“The money was dropped at an agreed spot and a policeman feigned madness and was patrolling the vicinity but when one of the suspects came out to pick the money, he was shot on the leg and arrested by the supposed mad man. He confessed to the crime,” the villager recounted.
When contacted, the Commissioner of Police, Mr. Baba Adisa Bolanta, confirmed that the confessional statements of the hoodlum led to the eventual arrest of other members of the gang, including their alleged sponsor.
All the villagers that spoke to Vanguard on the crime, passionately appealed to the police to ensure that justice was done in the matter, adding that it was the only thing that restored confidence in the security agencies.