Tension is growing in Umuka community, Okposi, Ohaozara Local Government Area of Ebonyi State over the alleged murder of a young woman.
DAILY POST learnt that the woman was allegedly last seen in the custody of a local youth.
However, the community is claiming that the suspect is walking freely following protection by his relative who works in the Department of State Services (DSS).
They expressed their anger in a petition addressed to the Commissioner of Police, Ebonyi State Command.
The petition was endorsed by the Village Chief and people of Umuka Community, through their legal representatives, Igwenyi, Igwenyi
While chronicling the events that led to the alleged murder of the young woman, they demanded immediate arrest of the suspect.
According to the lawyer, in the petition dated June 12, 2025, “Our client’s community is a very peaceful community ruled by enlightened persons namely, Chief Irem Okorie, (a retired school principal) and Dr. Barr Emenike Okorie (a retired staff of Chevron Plc).”
He, however, said trouble started during the burial of one Late Aju Nwokorie Aja on April 28, 2025.
He added that, “Around 7.00pm, a woman was allegedly caught trying to carry away a sleeping child during the event.
“The situation was quickly defused by the community chief, who insisted she be taken to the police.
“Bystanders who knew that the baby belonged to another person raised alarm…the attention of the Chief of the Community was drawn to the scene and he came and stopped any attack on the lady and directed that the lady should be taken to Okposi Police Station.”
The lawyer claimed in the petition that a youth, identified as Chichebem Okorie Ogudu, volunteered to escort the woman to the police station.
“This was done in the presence of several community leaders, including the ward councillor and the woman leader. However, the next morning, tragedy struck.
“The corpse of a lady was seen at Eke Okposi Motor Park close to the community. The volunteer (Chichebem) that supposedly took the lady to the police did not return back to report to the Chief or any of the villagers that he had dropped the woman at the Police station,” the petition stated.
He said it was not until days later that Chichebem was compelled to report to the police in Obiozara.
There, he was detained after making what was described as a “useful statement and allegedly naming accomplices. The case was then transferred to the State CID, Abakaliki.”
“Shockingly, things took a turn when a senior DSS official, allegedly a cousin to Chichebem, reportedly intervened in the matter.
“While the case was pending, a senior staff of Directorate of State Security (DSS) who is a cousin to the prime suspect (Enechi Agwu Ogudu) literally took over the case from the Police State CID and the name of Chichebem Okorie Ogudu, was suspiciously removed from the case,” the petition alleged.
Currently, while Maduabuchi John Ori and Eze Chidi Eze, two individuals named as accomplices, are remanded at the Correctional Service Centre in Abakaliki, the community alleged that the prime suspect, Chichebem, is walking freely in their midst.
“The crux of this petition is to alert you that the community is presently boiling because of the clear injustice.
“The prime suspect is walking about freely in the village because his cousin is a Senior Staff of DSS while others who do not have ‘big men’ are languishing at the Correctional Service Center,” the letter stated.
The community is now calling on the Ebonyi State Commissioner of Police to act swiftly.
“We pray the Commissioner of Police to direct the immediate arrest and charging of Chichebem Okorie Ogudu for murder of the lady whose blood is crying to the high heavens,” the petition concluded.
Police Public Relations Officer in the State, Joshua Ukandu was yet to react to the issue.
Tension in Ebonyi as murder suspect allegedly shielded by security operative walks freely
