76-Year-Old Anambra Widow, Veronica Igbokwe Petitions IGP, Cry Out Over How Her Stepson Mr Daniel Igbokwe, Alongside Others Chased Her Out Of Her House, Burnt The Building, Over Unfounded Allegations
- Accused Her Of Killing Their Elder Brother
- Destroys Properties Worth Millions
- Ostracized And Banished Her And Her Children
An act of Man inhumanity to fellow man can best describe the manner and way in which Mrs. Veronica Uduozor Igbokwe, a widow from Ukwulu Dukunofia LGA of Anambra State was attacked, her properties maliciously destroyed and looted, while her building was got burnt by some group women who claimed she is a witch acting on the orders of Mr. Daniel Anaeto Igbokwe and Mr. Ogbonna Anatogu alleged that the 76-year-old woman killed their brother, Mr. Clifford Igbokwe.
It was gathered that the action of the women was based on what a native 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 His Children, citing alleged criminal Trespass, Unwarranted Destruction of Properties, Arson, Criminal Intimidation, conduct likely to cause a breach of Public 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 at large.
The petitioner in their 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 and invaded their home, where they totally destroyed their three-bedroom bungalow and all their properties in the house.
Counsel to the petitioner stated thus in their petition; “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 petitioner upon getting entrance into their client’s compound Anaeto Daniel Igbokwe, Ogbonnia Anataogu, and his group 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.
Not done with that, Anaeto Daniel Igbokwe and his group 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 hers, one hundred lengths of reinforcement iron rods and 125 liters of red oil kept in the house by Mrs. Veronica.
Much more than this, the Anaeto Daniel and his group went further by ostracizing Mrs. Veronica and her Children and also banished them from the entire Ukwulu community whilst chanting different mysterious incantations which they ended by symbolically using “Omu Nkwu” (ie immature palm frond) which they used as a seal and barricade the entire compound of our client whilst boasting that Mrs. Veronica and her children will never set their foot in the Ukwulu Community again.
Aside from this, the petitioner alleged that they were reported to the Dukunofia Divisional Police, where Police arrested and investigated her pertaining to the death of Mr. Clifford Igbokwe accusing her and her children be behind the death of Mr. Clifford, the elder brother of Anaeto Daniel. The matter according to the petitioner was later transferred to the Anambra State Criminal and Intelligence Investigation Department Annex, Rapid Response Squad Awkuzu in Oyi LGA where she was later released on bail.
However, it was after her release from the Police Station by the Police, that Mr. Daniel Anaeto led his group where they went to invade her house and humiliated her.
According to Mrs. Veronica in her petition to has maintained that she and her Children has no hand in the death of Mr. Clifford Igbokwe.
Speaking with the son of the petitioner, Mr. Samuel Arinze, he told this medium that the matter was also reported to Igwe Peter Anukwu Uyanwa, the traditional ruler of Ukwulu, whom he said condemned what happened, but said since then no concrete action has been taken by the royal father.
He further stated that the Police are yet to arrest any of the perpetrators of the attack even their leader, as according to him the Police are yet to get any of them, whom they said they are currently on the run.
More so, this 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 under which Anambra State Police Command fall.
The petitioners also submitted pictures and videos to buttress their petitions stating how they were humiliated, abused, and battered.
Speaking with UNIVERSAL REPORTERS, Mr. Samuel Arinze one of the sons of the petitioner told this medium that as it is since the matter was reported to the Traditional Ruler of the community, nothing has been done by him, no concrete action has been taken by him to punish those who carried out this act.
“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, that is deemed necessary.
“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.
