Abia: Father of murdered 19-year-old cries for justice over threat to life

An Umuekpa Akanu, Item in Bende LGA of Abia State, man, Maduka Isaac, whose son, Ndukwe Isaac, 19 years old, was tortured to death by Okai Item youths last year, has cried out that his life and that of his family are in danger following the detention of the community royal father over complicity in the matter.

His son, Ndukwe, who was living at his maternal home, was accused of stealing N110,000 belonging to his mother and was tortured to death on 27th January 2024 for stealing proceeds from the sale of rice that he cultivated with his mother, Mrs Uwaezu Isaac, who is a rice farmer.

The deceased had, before stealing the money, informed his mother that he needed money to buy clothes, with a view to appearing neat and looking like others, and had, after buying the clothes, shown his mother the things he bought as well as the balance of the money, promising that he would pay her back with money from his farm proceeds.

However, his maternal uncle, Anyim Igwe, reported the matter to the community youths, who waded into the matter and detained Ndukwe Isaac.

Despite his explanation that his mother knew about it, and being not convinced with Ndukwe’s response, the youths tortured him until he died, and through the traditional ruler of Okai Item, HRH Eze James Opara Ogbonnaya, now in police custody, reported the death of Ndukwe Isaac to his father, Maduka Isaac, who was engaged with his own mother’s burial activities.

Addressing newsmen on Friday at his country home in Akanu Item, Mr Maduka Isaac raised alarm over threats to his life, stating that the Traditional Prime Minister of Okai Item, one Prophet Igwe Kalu, has threatened to kill him for his continuous insistence that justice should be served to all that tortured and killed his son, who before his death was staying in his maternal home.

Isaac disclosed that when he was informed that his son was dead, he was busy preparing for his own mother’s burial and emphatically told the Traditional Ruler, HRH Eze James Opara Ogbonnaya, that he could not hold two burials at the same time, stating that after several appeals and attempts to convince him, they went ahead and buried his son without his consent while also defiling all protocols.

According to Isaac, after the burial of his late mother, he reported the matter to the Igbere Police Station on the advice of a Senior Police Officer, where the matter was immediately transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) Umuahia after the buried corpse was exhumed, and an autopsy carried out to ascertain the cause of his death.

Following the threats by the Traditional Prime Minister of Okai Item, Igwe Kalu, over the detention of the Traditional Ruler HRH Eze James Opara Ogbonnaya at the State SCID, Isaac said he has had to restrict his movement.

“Following the threats, me and my wife have confined ourselves to our home, we don’t go to the farm, visit friends, or go to church, even our farmland. They have used palm fronds to tie it round. I am afraid and therefore calling on the police, Abia State Government to track those who want us dead.”

The Traditional Prime Minister of Okai Item, Igwe Kalu, he said, has resorted to visiting him at night, knocking on his door and issuing all kinds of threats, asking him to stop pressing the case further.

He called on the Abia State Government, government at other levels, and all concerned individuals to ensure that nothing happens to him and any member of his family for calling for justice for his son.

When contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) Abia State, DSP Maureen Chioma Chinaka, said that the Command is not aware of the threats on the life of Mr Maduka Isaac, advising him to approach any Police Division nearest to him to report the threat.

The Traditional Ruler, Okai Autonomous Community, HRH Eze James Opara Ogbonnaya, is still under detention and under interrogation at the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) Umuahia for his role in the torture and death of Ndukwe Isaac.

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