An act of man inhumanity to fellow man can best describe the manner in which Mrs. Veronica Uduozor Igbokwe, a widow from Ukwulu Dukunofia Local Government Area of Anambra State was attacked, her properties destroyed and looted, while her home was set ablaze by some group of attackers who claimed she is a witch.
The attackers Newsband gathered, were acting on the orders of Mr. Daniel Anaeto Igbokwe, the stepson of Veronica and one Mr. Ogbonna Anatogu after they alleged that the 76-year-old woman killed their brother, Mr. Clifford Igbokwe.
It was gathered that the action of the attackers was based on what a traditional doctor told the Igbokwes, that the embattled woman was responsible for the death of Mr. Clifford Igbokwe their elder brother.
In a petition dated 23rd June written to the Anambra State Police Command, by Christian Nneji and Co, who is the counsel to Mrs. Veronica Uduozor Igbokwe and her children, cited alleged criminal trespass, unwarranted destruction of properties, arson, criminal intimidation, conduct likely to cause a breach of oublic peace, a threat to life, trial by ordeal, criminal defamation character, humiliation, stealing, burglary, robbery, ostracization and conspiracy against Mrs. Veronica Igbokwe and her children.
The petition to the police listed Mr. Daniel Aneto Igbokwe, Mr.Ogbonnia Anataogu, Mrs. Chiebone Morgui, Grace Uchemba, Chinelo Nweke, Theresa Anukwu Anataogu, Esther Domnic Oguguo, Adamma Nwafor -Okonta Okoye, Ukamaka Chinwude, Amala Onyeamu, Ifeyinwa Nwanaegbo, Mrs. Nwabueze Nnakee, Mrs. Pheobe John Anakor, Nkasi Obiora Udezu, Ngozi Adubasim, Ebele Mmokwugwo, Ugochukwu Onyekwe, Chioma Chukwunonye, Nnenna Nwada, Oluchukwu Igweze, Regina Nwafor, Chinelo Nweke, Nkiru Chibuzo Nweke-Okpuo and others who are currently at large.
Veronica in her petition stated that on Wednesday 15th June, 2022 at about 7:48 am, the duo of Anaeto Daniel and Ogbonnia Anataogu of Amagu Village Ukwulu in Anambra State led the above listed persons and others at large to invade her home, where they destroyed her three bedroom bungalow and all the properties in the house.
Part of the petition reads, “Our client who was resting in her house, immediately ran into the bush for safety as soon as she saw Anaeto Daniel Igbokwe, Ogbonnia Anataogu and the above state persons menacingly trooping into her compound armed with different sizes of cudgels, matchets, shovels, axes, etc. chanting different war songs.”
“It was while she was hiding in the bush that she saw Anaeto Daniel Igbokwe, Ogbonnia Anataogu and above-listed persons forcefully breaking the entry gate into her compound, calling her and her children several derogatory names such as “murderers”, “abominable human beings”, “evil people”, “ostracized people” etc.
According to the petition, upon getting entrance into Veronica’s compound, Anaeto Daniel Igbokwe, Ogbonnia Anataogu and their gang started destroying everything in the compound including water tanks, and other household items.
“More they forcefully broke into our client’s three-bedroom bungalow and destroyed all the properties in the house including food items, kitchen, several boxes, and bags of clothes, aluminum windows, doors, iron gate, frying pans, cooking pots, wooden beds, mattresses, motorcycle, radio, and television sets, a set of sofas, standing fans, pressing iron, valuable documents including WAEC, Baptismal, NECO, , Bsc and HND Certificates, etc, the petition stated.
The attackers further burnt down properties of the widow worth millions of Naira in her home. They also took the sum of one hundred thousand Naira (N100,000) savings of Veronica, one hundred length of reinforcement iron rods and 125 liters of red oil kept in the house.
Anaeto Daniel and his group went further by ostracizing Mrs. Veronica and her children from the entire Ukwulu community while chanting different mysterious incantations which they ended by symbolically using “Omu Nkwu” (palm frond) which they used as a seal to barricade the entire compound of Veronica. They also bragged that she and her children will never set their foot in Ukwulu Community again.
The petition also alleged that they reported to the Dukunofia Divisional police and Veronica was arrested and investigated over her alleged involvement in the death of Mr. Clifford Igbokwe.
The matter according to the petition was later transferred to the Anambra State Criminal and Intelligence Investigation Department Annex, Rapid Response Squad Awkuzu in Oyi Local Government Area where she was later released on bail.
However, it was after her release from the police custody that Mr. Daniel Anaeto led his group to attack and humiliate her.
Mrs. Veronica in her petition maintained that she and her children have no hand in the death of Mr. Clifford Igbokwe.
Mr. Samuel Arinze, the son of Veronica told Newsband that when the matter was reported to Igwe Peter Anukwu Uyanwa, the traditional ruler condemned what happened but has failed to take concrete action.
“I can tell you that matter was reported to Igwe Peter Anukwu Uyanwa, the traditional ruler of Ukwulu, but up till now nothing is done by him, except that he merely condemned it, the perpetrators of this unwarranted attacks, destructions, arson, are still roaming the community without no action on them,” Arinze said.
When asked about the action of the police who are aware of the matter, he said the Anambra State commissioner of police is aware of the case but has failed to take action.
“We have reported this matter to Anambra State Police Command, the State Police Commissioner, is aware, but as it is the Police has not taken action, no arrest has been made, the perpetrators are freely walking within the community, and as I speak, we are now like fugitives, we cannot go back to our home, beside that our house and valuables have utterly been destroyed,” he said.
“The Zone 13 of the Nigerian Police whose Anambra Police Command is under has also requested for this matter to be brought to them, to handle, but the state Police Command has remained adamant, without doing anything,” Arinze said.
The petition has also been submitted to the Inspector General of Police as well as to the AIG in charge of zone 13 of Nigerian Police.