Ozubulu Massacre: Rights Group Condemns Detention of 94-Year-Old Chief Priest

A rights group, International Society for Civil Liberties and the Rule of Law (Intersociety) on Monday waded into the case of a 94 year old chief priest of Ndiekwulu deity, Anazo Ilomuanya, who was recently arrested and detained by the police in Anambra State.

It was gathered that Ilomuanya was recently arrested alongside five others after he was approached to use the deity's powers to invoke death on those responsible for the massacre of church worshipers at St Philip Catholic Church, Ozubulu last year.

A group of youths in Ozubulu who are said to feel disenchanted with the police and the Anambra State Government over the handling of killing of their kinsmen by unknown gunmen in the church and subsequent other killings in the community had met the the chief priest of Ndiekwulu deity, in the hope of solving the problem in the community.

Intersociety in a press statement released to journalists in Awka and signed by its chairman Board of Trustees called for the immediate release of the chief priest and others who are detained alongside with him.

The group said the youths violated no known law by approaching the deity to settle what is perceived to be a drug war among sons of the community, based in South Africa, who have been killing members of the opposite gangs and member of their family.

It added that the chief priest of the deity had the right to worship his deity, and that it fell under his fundamental human right of freedom of association and worship.

Part of the statement reads, "Inter-society is specifically calling on the Attorney General of Anambra State and Commissioner for Justice to as a matter of urgent public importance and inexcusability, file a motion for withdrawal and discontinuation of the said phantom charges of “trial by ordeal.”

"The six incarcerated innocent citizens especially the 94 year-old Chief Priest of Ndiekwulu Deity, Ozubulu, must be released unconditionally and discharged and acquitted."

The group went further to say that the six incarcerated men, who are all indigenes of Ozubulu Community are being persecuted on the grounds of their faith particularly for exercising their rights to freedom of religion as traditional religionists.

It said, "The youths and other indigenes of Ozubulu went to the chief priest over what they saw as diversionary, partisan and poor handling of the case by Police, government and the Catholic Church of the mass murder case which had in recent years taken lives of dozens of indigenes of the community.

"A decision was taken to consult the Community’s ancient god of justice called “Ndiekwulu Deity” to strike on mother earth her sacred and ancient staff or scepter of justice to spiritually visit her wrath on those behind the spate of killings in the Community.