Horror in Anambra as 40 bodies are found in river

By Okey Maduforo (Awka) and Wale Ibrahim (Lokoja)

Over 40 lifeless bodies were Saturday found floating in the Ezu River at the Amansea boundary between Enugu and Anambra states.

The bodies, which cannot be easily identified, were said to have been dumped by unknown persons the previous night and early Saturday morning. They were discovered by fishermen and sand excavators at the banks of the river.

When reporters visited the river, three more bodies were also floating to join the rest of the corpses floating towards Amansea-Ugbenu-Ebenebe town to Anambra East Local Government Area (LGA).

Natives told reporters that some of the bodies had been swept away while some were submerged in the river and would rise and float when they had taken enough water.

The traditional ruler of Amansea Town, Igwe Kenneth Okonkwo, described the development as a sad one, adding that the community has not seen such a gory sight before.

Okonkwo further noted that he cannot say exactly the total number of dead bodies dumped in the river, pointing out that, as they float, the community would take account. He described the bodies as “too many.”

Governor Peter Obi of Anambra State, on hearing the incident, cut short his overseas working trip and is expected to return very soon.

But the Commissioner for Local Government Affairs, Mrs. Azuka Enemuo, who came in company of the Environment Commission and Local Government Chairman, said: “We have seen about 14 bodies so far floating and this is a river which is there at the boundary demarcation between Enugu State and Anambra State. This river actually runs from somewhere in Agbogu Enugu through Oji River across Anambra State and empties into the Niger River.

“It is obvious that these corpses came from somewhere and I can tell you we haven't seen the last of it. We cannot say for instance that this is the number because they are still floating. From the account we have, the corpses are still floating down into Anambra State.

Enemuo further explained that the security agencies have been informed about the incident, adding that the governor who is outside the country on an official assignment has cut short his trip and is on his way back to the state.

“We have contacted our colleagues in Enugu State to come and witness with us because it is a river on the boundary of Anambra and Enugu states and it is floating into Anambra State.

State Police Public Relations Officer, Emeka Chukwuemeka, said that the Police are aware of the incident and that they had commenced investigations into the incident. He added that the Anambra State Police Command would come out with its finding.

Meanwhile, no fewer than two soldiers were killed and several others injured when unidentified armed gunmen attacked a convoy of Military Personnel at Abobo Village along the Okene-lokoja Road with Improvised Explosive Device (IED).

The victims were said to be travelling from the southern part of the country to Kaduna for training when they were intercepted by a convoy of two luxury buses, whose occupants disembarked and opened fire and detonated IEDs.

Kogi State Police Commissioner, Mohammed Musa Kastina, who briefed journalists at the police headquarters in Lokoja Saturday, stated that the military convoys were transiting the state when the ugly incident occurred.

Kastina pointed out that men of underworld laid ambush for the travelling soldiers, but could not confirm the number of casualties.

He added that at the scene of the attack were three IEDs, one of which exploded and shattered one of the buses. He added that two others were detonated by the anti bomb squad.

The Police Commissioner stated that the security agencies have already condoned off the area, stressing that the special squad and other security agencies would get to the root of the matter.

Meanwhile, there was no free movement of vehicles as the stern-looking soldiers were seen parading the street and manned strategic locations in the area in a bid to track down the perpetrators of the act.

However, the military spokesman who does not want his name in print, confirmed that two soldiers were killed in the attack and five others were wounded.

He hinted that the corpses have been deposited at the Federal Medical Centre, while the injured have been taken to a different hospital for treatment

It will be recalled that a similar incident occurred when unidentified gun men killed over 20 worshippers at the Deeper Life Church and subsequently killed two soldiers around the Central Mosque in Okene the following day.