Residents of Oriendu autonomous community in Umuahia North Local Government Area of Abia State have raised alarm over the discovery of more than 30 bodies in the Imo River, suspected to be victims of ritual killings.
The community’s traditional ruler, HRH Eze Philip Ajomiwe, revealed this disturbing development while addressing journalists at his palace. His statement followed the latest discovery of a woman’s corpse in the area.
According to the monarch, many of the bodies have been found either completely naked with missing body parts or packed in bags.
He also noted that decomposing remains had been spotted near the NNPC pipeline.
“These victims are mostly young women. Those behind these killings, suspected to be from Imo State, come at night to dump bodies into the Imo River. By morning, we wake up to these horrifying discoveries,” he lamented.
Eze Ajomiwe expressed concern over the lack of arrests by security agencies despite repeated reports.
He added that the community’s vigilante group had made several unsuccessful attempts to apprehend the culprits, but their efforts were hindered by inadequate resources.
“We are pleading with the government to equip our local security team with the necessary tools and logistics to combat these criminals. Without proper support, it is impossible to challenge individuals who are well-armed,” he stated.
The monarch disclosed that he had made numerous appeals to security agencies, including a formal letter to the Speaker of the State House of Assembly on February 7, but no significant action had been taken.
“We even reported the matter to the DSS, and they visited our community for discussions. However, we need urgent intervention to ensure those responsible are brought to justice,” he added.
While commending the state government for increasing stipends for traditional rulers, he emphasized that the funds were insufficient to address security concerns.
He pointed out that unlike governors, monarchs do not have security votes to sustain community vigilante operations.
In response, the Abia State Police Command stated that investigations were underway to verify the claims.
Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Maureen Chilaka, confirmed that inquiries would be made with the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) overseeing the area.
She also inquired whether the traditional ruler had officially reported the matter at a police station and assured the public that further updates would be provided after the investigation.