17 Year Old Girl Beheaded In Abia

The beheading of a 17-year-old girl, Chioma
Emeka Ikwuagwu, by unknown killers has
caused tension between Ameke and Ukome
communities in Umuahia North Local
Government Area of Abia State.
The late Chioma hails from Ameke but lived
with her parents at Ukome, where she was
killed. The bereaved community of Ameke is
said to have given Ukome three days to
produce their daughter.
The notice expired on July 30, thus creating
apprehension in Ukome community. Sources at
Ukome said the deceased, who was an SSS3
student of Holy Rosary College, Umuahia, was
the first of five children.
Her father, Emeka Ikwuagwu, told reporters
that on July 26, he went to collect some corn
from one of his farm while his wife, Akunna,
led some people to weed their other farm.
Ikwuagwu said Chioma brought food to the
farm for her mother and the workers at noon.
He said: "She was asked to go to another farm
to collect some vegetables for use later that
evening and she never came back.
It was the last time she was seen alive. "When
she did not return, her mother went in search
of her, only to discover blood everywhere at
the farm and she alerted me.
"I immediately organised a search party to
look for her around the farm and her lifeless
body was found at a nearby spot with palm
fronds covering her. "When we found her, her
jeans were drawn down close to her lap, she
clutched tightly to her underwear with one
hand with machete cuts on her other arm. Her
head had been cut off.
"We left the body like that so that the police
could see it. They (police) came on Saturday
morning to remove the body and deposited it
at the City Gate Mortuary, Umuahia, after the
Federal Medical Centre rejected it." A source
said upon hearing the news, Ukome youths
searched the bush for the killers. He said:
"They didn't find anything.
The father was compelled by tradition to
report the incident to his kinsmen at Ameke,
which he did. "On July 28, they marched on
Ukome with wooden gongs and symbolic palm
fronds, which they handed down to Ukome
people, demanding their daughter or her
killers." It was gathered that a suspect has
been arrested.
The man is said to have threatened the family
over a piece of land because of a piece of land
willed to Ikwuagwu by his late grandmother.
Police spokesman Geoffrey Ogbonna said the
command was aware of the matter, but that
they are still waiting for full details before
starting investigations.