Since the discovery of decomposing bodies of human beings inside the soak away pit of a native doctor, identified as Levi Obieze, popularly known as Ezeani, or ‘E de play, e de show’, in Umuojor Area, Umumba Ndiagu community, Ezeagu Local Government Area of Enugu State, many other communities in the state have called out native doctors in their domains.
They confronted some herbalists and conducted searches at their shrines, in a bid to tackle ritual killings in the state.
Many residents who were enveloped with shock after corpses were discovered at Obieze’s house, went on rampage and set his buildings ablaze.
They claimed that many kidnappers hide under the gab of traditional medicines to perpetuate crimes and criminalities, calling on the state governor, Peter Mbah to emulate his counterpart in Anambra State, Chukwuma Soludo, by raiding shrines and arresting native doctors who go about advertising ritual money.
Obieze’s alleged atrocities were made public following the kidnapping of a young girl while accompanying her father to the farm. It was gathered that the young girl had been taken after her assailants deceived her father.
She was walking with her father to the farm on Monday when two men riding on a motorcycle stopped and pretended that their motorcycle had developed faults.
Narrating the abduction incident, the girl’s father said, “One of the men told me to please help them with my cutlass to use and fix the fault in the motorcycle, which I obliged. They said the fault would require pushing the bike and begged me to help. It was in this process that one of these men grabbed my girl and jumped onto the motorcycle, and they zoomed off.”
An alarm raised by the girl’s father, coupled with the girl’s cries, had attracted the local vigilante group to launch a search operation in the area.
It was gathered that later that evening, some villagers reported hearing loud cries from a bush near the native doctor’s compound, and this was said to have attracted the search party to the area.
Obieze, the native doctor, reportedly attempted to stop the vigilante team from entering his compound, but they overpowered him, stormed the premises, and successfully rescued the abducted girl.
A search of the compound led to the discovery of two decomposing corpses of pregnant women in different soakaway pits.
This was said to have attracted an uproar from community members who immediately mobilised, apprehended Obieze and dragged him naked on the floor. In the course of carrying out the jungle justice on him, the native doctor escaped.
However, he was unlucky as the Nigerian Immigration Service officers arrested him while attempting to escape to the Benin Republic.
Obieze, while being interrogated by the immigration, denied the allegations, saying the corpses were planted in his soakaway pit by some top members of his community who did not want him to be the next king of Umumba Ndiagu.
After Governor Peter Mbah ordered that Obieze’s mansion where the corpses were discovered be demolished, stakeholders have asked the governor to beam searchlight on activities of other native doctors, especially those reportedly named by Obieze as accomplices.
Irate youths of Ezeagu community, stormed the shop of one Uche Kingsley, a businessman in Ariaria market, Aba and accused him of colluding with Obieze to use people for ritual money. Kingsley was beaten to stupor as youths made him confess to his collaboration with Obieze.
Some secondary school students in a neighbouring community invaded the demolished house of Obieze and rained curses on him for allegedly kidnapping and killing one of their mates.
Also, another native doctor whose name was reportedly mentioned by Obieze, was forced to the community’s shrine and made to swear that he knows nothing about the kidnapping and killings in the community.
Some natives asked Governor Mbah to rein in on native doctors in Enugu who are notorious for their ostentatious display of wealth and frequent spraying of money at public functions, saying, like Obieze, they should be proved.
A native of the area, Nnamdi Onyia, while reacting to the development, asked Governor Mbah to address insecurity by calling out native doctors.
He said, “I will be glad to see his administration taking action regarding the activities of most of these self-acclaimed native doctors that are operating within the state without approval. Proper investigation has to be conducted to verify their source of power and enormous income.”
Another resident, Ugwu Ikedi demanded for regulation of the activities of native doctors, saying, “Like what is happening in Anambra State, Governor Peter Mbah should emulate Governor Soludo who arrested many native doctors preaching quick wealth. Same thing should be done in Enugu State.”
THE POINT gathered that while some native doctors in the state, through a protest, dissociated themselves from Obieze, others have abandoned their shrines for fear of arrest. A video obtained showed a renowned herbalist burning his shrine in the state after Obieze’s house was demolished.
Meanwhile, the Enugu State Government has vowed not to condone any form of criminality in communities under any guise.
The Secretary to the Enugu State Government, Chidiebere Onyia, therefore, called on community leaders and Neighbourhood Watch personnel to be watchful and report crime suspects to government and security agencies.
“Those who cover up for such criminals will also be treated as accomplices,” he stated.