Uneasy calm pervades the sleepy town of Eche Ezema village in Igbo Eze South local government area, Enugu state over the killing of four innocent children of same parents in the community.
The four children were hacked to death by yet to be identified driver of a popular pastor of Sabbath Presbyterian church in the community.
Investigations revealed that father of the children, a palm kernel merchant simply identified as Chinonso (aka Okwudike) had gone to procure kernels leaving the children behind while his wife went to Nkwo Ibagwa market.
A reliable source who would not want his name in print disclosed that the assailant now at large, said the pastor popularly known as Chinedu (aka pastor Ezedike) shares common boundary with the deceased family of four, and also worship in the same church.
“The deceased father of the four children known as Chinonso a palm kernel merchant aka Okwudike had gone on business trip when the assistant sneaked into his compound and hacked the four children to death while his wife was at Nkwo Ibagwa Aka market.
“The palm kernel merchant on arrival, could not see the children. He conducted a quick search only to discover the four children laying down in a cassava farm, covered with cassava stems and leaves.
News of the tragic incident sparked tension across the locality as youths staged solidarity protests demanding local and state governments intervention to unravel the circumstances surrounding the death of the four innocent children.
Contacted over the incident, Chairman, Igbo Eze South local government area Chief Ugo Ferdinand Ukwueze also deputy chairman ALGON Enugu state said that the last thing he wouldn’t allow to happen under his watch was allowing miscreants commit crime and go scotch free.
“The unfortunate incident was a crime any sane person would not allow the perpetrator go unpunished as four innocent children were hacked to death, dumped in lifeless state in their own neighborhood within the local government area.
“My visit to the village scene of the incident showed that the church is more of herbalist environment in the name of church. We found out that the proximity between the deceased four children and the church was simply whispering to one another across fence.
“From the account of the parents they closely suspect one of the occupants of the church. The deceased family worship in the same environment of the church.
“It might interest you to know that the family of the four children made statement in the past at police station how one Mathew attempted to attack them with pistol. How, on two occasions the same person attempted to attack the family with pistol and iron rod before the recent incident of the four children. The man said he only reported the attempted attack incidents to the leadership of church pastor Ezedike.”
