A man was beheaded on Monday, Feb. 18, in Akparata village, Effium autonomous community in Ohaukwu local government area of Ebonyi State.
Godwin Odah was killed and beheaded at the back of his compound in Akparata village. Afterwards, other parts of his body were chopped up.
Reacting to the incident, the Ebonyi State Police Spokesperson, ASP Joshua Ukandu, said the command was not aware of any attack or killing, but the President-General of Effium Town Union, Dr. Agena James, confirmed the killing to The Guardian and said he had notified Governor Francis Nwifuru of the incident.
“Your Excellency, Sir, I wish to inform you that this morning at about 11:30 am, Ezza warriors killed Godwin Odah at the back of his compound at Akparata village in Effium.
“This is disheartening despite government efforts to restore peace in Effium. We strongly demand that the perpetrators of this dastardly act be arrested promptly to face justice.
“Ezza-Effium people are truncating the peace process again. The murdered victim had his head, one of his hands, and a leg severed in the most barbaric manner,” he said.
The killing came barely one week after Governor Francis Nwifuru granted amnesty to 158 detainees arrested at the wake of the four-year-old intra-communal war that broke out in Effium in 2021.
The release of the detainees was part of the Ebonyi State government’s effort to restore peace in the community before the killing of Godwin Odah by suspected Ezza warriors.
Governor Nwifuru also stated during the amnesty that both stakeholders of Effium and Ezza-Effium had signed an undertaking that there would be no relapse into war in Effium Community arising from the release of detainees.