Kehinde Fajobi
The Enugu State Police Command has arrested a native doctor and Mr Uwakwe Eze, the father of 26-year-old Chikwado Eze, who died during a failed fortification ritual in Ugbaike, Enugu Ezike.
Chikwado, who had secured a visa to travel abroad, returned home to share the news with his father, however, his father insisted on a ritual to ensure his success overseas and took him to a native doctor, Onuwa Odugu. The native doctor claimed Chikwado needed to be buried alive for one hour and 30 minutes as part of the ritual. Sadly, when he was exhumed, he was found dead.
In a statement, DSP Daniel Ndukwe, Enugu State Police Public Relations Officer, confirmed the arrests, saying, “A native doctor, one Enuwa Odugu ‘m’, aged 48, and Uwakwe Eze ‘m’, aged 67, were arrested for conspiracy and the murder of Eze’s 26-year-old son.”
He added, “During the ritual, the deceased was buried in a coffin but unfortunately died in the process. He was rushed to the hospital and confirmed dead.”
Odugu confessed to the crime, attributing Chikwado’s death to his failure to follow ritual instructions.
The case remains under investigation, and both suspects will face trial once investigations are completed.