Aluu Community in Ikwerre Local Government of Rivers State is in the news again for the wrong reasons as violent attacks and killing of young women over love affair worsen, causing apprehension in the University of Port Harcourt host community
By Chinedu Oguh,
Port Harcourt
The quiet Aluu community in Ikwerre Local Government Area of Rivers State was recently shaken by a deeply distressing tragedy involving Mrs. Ngozi Igwe, a widow whose life was violently cut short in the early hours of the morning by Ugochukwu Arugo, her tenant. Arugo, a 39-old welder sent his landlady to early grave by heating her head with a pestle because she refused him sex because she was jealous of his new wife.
The suspect, who is a welder and native of Isiala Mbano, in Imo State narrated that the victim was his widowed landlady and that they have been in a deep relationship since the death of Ngozi’s husband. Arugo revealed that trouble started when he went to his village, married a wife and brought her to live with him. The suspect said that his landlady who was also his lover was angry with him because he got married and brought his wife into the house.
“I am here because I committed a crime. I am 29 years old. I did it unknowingly and I never knew it will be like this. I killed my landlady who I have been dating in Aluu Community that. When I went to my village and got married, I brought my wife to the house and my lover landlady started quarrelling with me.
“She said, why will I marry without informing her. I started having problems with her because of my wife. I did not let my wife know about it. The last time we had problem was in the night. We quarreled all night long. As we were quarrelling, I used pestle and hit her head, she fell down and died,” Arugo narrated.
It was not only a sad news, but horror in Imo State as a nursing student from Abia State was beheaded inside her apartment which left residents terrified. According to reports, the young student said to be enrolled in a nursing institution was discovered lifeless after neighbors became worried over unusual silence coming from her apartment and decided to raise an alarm.
Sources in the area say the disturbing discovery quickly threw residents into confusion and fear with crowd gathering around the building as news of the tragic incident spread across the community. The victim identified as Wendy Achumba, a 21-year old post-basic midwifery student of Our Lady of Mercy College of Nursing, Umulogho, Obowo in Imo State hails from Ngwa in Abia State.
Reports confirmed that youths in Umuadara Umulogho Community in Obowo Local Government Area, apprehended one of the suspects linked to the killing of Wendy Achumba, a student of the College of Nursing Obowo. The suspect identified as Onyema Okonkwo was said to have made confessional statements in a video that later circulated widely. Investigations revealed that the victim was alone in her apartment at the time of the attack after her two house mates had temporarily left for their nursing practical experience, community sources disclosed that the building owner resides abroad, while the students occupied the residence for academic purposes.
The suspect, an old man, asked the victim, a small girl out, a young nursing student and as a good girl who came to school to study turned him down. At night, the man who is a vulcanizer went with his friend to where the girl lives, they took their turns in raping her and during the struggle, the girl recognized one of them and even gave him a mark on the neck, they decided to slit her throat, locked her door back quietly and left.
Reacting to the sad incident, Lilian Ugochi said, “The suspect should be burnt alive. You raped an innocent girl and went ahead to behead her. Imagine, a young girl who was wrapping up her midwifery. What will be the thoughts of the parents? After several years of pains and studies, stress and dreams. Just dying minutes, she is gone. May we not lose our children in this way,” said Lilian said.
Awuzie Franklin said what was done to the innocent girl is beyond evil, adding, “May justice come swiftly and may the law deal with those responsible without mercy.”
Meanwhile, the family of the late Chinwendu Achumba has demanded the release of her boyfriend, who remains in police custody after discovering her lifeless body during a visit to her school and alerting those around. Authorities report that he is still being held while the two individuals arrested in connection with her murder are also in custody.
Reacting to the incident, King of Umulogho Ancient Kingdom Obowo, HRH Eze Ngozi Patrick Uwalaka condemned the murder of the student nurse in his Kingdom and prayed that the gods of the land will not allow them to have peace in their life in earth, adding, “These beasts will never know peace for rest of their life.”
In a related development, the Akwa Ibom Police Command has arrested a suspect Akong Henry for assaulting a woman in Abak Local Government Area of the State. The victim, Ms. Rachael Samuel disclosed that the suspect who is her landlord allegedly assaulted her for rejecting his advances. Spokesperson for the command, DSP Timfon John, who confirmed the incident, said the victim sustained injuries on her head, left arm and suffered significant blood loss.
The command condemns all forms of violence, particularly acts capable of causing grievous bodily harm. In the same vein, the wife of the Chairman of Ukanafun Local Government Area and head of the Gender-Based Violence Response Team strongly condemned the violent incident. Mrs. Mokut Ukpanah strongly condemned the attack on Mrs. Rachael Samuel, an indigene of Ukanafun Local Government Area by one Mr. Hope Ekong said to be her landlord. According to her, such acts of violence have no place in our society and must be collectively resisted.
“I condemn in strong terms the barbaric act committed by Mr. Hope Ekong, it is repugnant to human civility, a flagrant violation of the fundamental right to human dignity and a blatant disregard for the safety and wellbeing of women. Violence in any form must be rejected by all, as well as collectively strive to build a safer and more humane society. I also used this opportunity to urge members of the public to embrace peaceful coexistence and adopt reasonable conflict resolution strategies in settling disputes rather than resorting to violence,” Mrs. Ukpanah said.
Similarly, a landlord has been arrested in Lagos for beating up a female tenant who rejected his amorous sexual request. Reports indicate that the Lagos based female lawyer had a nasty experience after she rejected the sexual overtures of her landlord, identified as Olumide Micheal Ayodele.
Tentacle learnt that the angry Ayodele allegedly descended on her, tore her clothes, beat her up mercilessly and injured her in the process. The incident happened at Ade Ogun Street, New-Oko-Oba, Agege, Lagos where the victim rented an apartment.
Ayodele is facing multiple charges in the court presided by Magistrate Mrs. M.O. Tanimola was remanded in custody at the correctional centre, at Kirikiri Town, Lagos pending when he will perfect his bail conditions.
