Ozubulu Church Massacre: Police Quiz PG, Council, Foundation Chairmen …Community insists Ebubechukwuzo not a drug lord

Ozubulu Church Massacre: Police Quiz PG, Council, Foundation Chairmen

…Community insists Ebubechukwuzo not a drug lord

Anambra State Police have interrogated the President-General of Ozubulu community, Dr. Ernest Chukwuka, over the killing of worshipers at St Philip Catholic Church in Ozubulu last Sunday by an unknown gunman.

It was gathered that the president-general was invited by the state Police Commissioner, Mr. Garba Umar, to answer some questions from the command over the incidence.

Also invited alongside the president general were the chairman of Ekwusigo Local Government Area, Ikenna Ofodeme, and the Chairman of Ebubechukwuzo Foundation, Mr. Emeka Jovita Ofomata.

The foundation is owned by High Chief Aloysius Ikegwuonu, who was said to be the target of the gunman who stormed the church and massacred worshipers.

A source told the media that the invitation may not be unconnected to revelations made by suspects who were said to have been arrested by police in the state.

Ofomata confirmed in a telephone interview that he and the president general of Ozubulu and the chairman of Ekwusigo council area were at the police command to honour the invitation of the police commissioner.

He however denied that the invitation had anything to do with revelations made by arrested suspects, saying the discussion with the police authorities was a friendly one.

According to Ofomata, "They (police) did not inform us of any revelation or arrested suspects. They simply called us to tell them what we knew that can help them in their investigation."

Attempt to speak to the state police commissioner, however, did not yield fruit as several attempts to reach him through phone call was thwarted by his busy line.

Meanwhile, members of Ozubulu community have insisted that their son, Ikegwuonu, is not a drug lord.

Though the entire community was visibly devoid of humans, some members of the community who spoke to a reporter said no one in the community suspected Ikegwuonu to be a drug lord.

They insisted that he was an easy-going philanthropist who has touched a lot of lives in the community and beyond.

A member of of the community, Mrs. Dorothy Ikem, said: "Everybody in Amakwa knows Ebubechukwuzo (Ikegwuonu). He is a generous young man who is always willing to assist people. We do not know him to be a drug baron. He imports spare parts and has also helped to train a lot of people."

Chairman of Ekwusigo Local Government Area, Ofodeme, also stated that the allegation of Ikegwuonu being a drug peddler was not true. He said there was nothing like a gang war spilling from South Africa.

"I seriously believe that it was a terror attack on our people, and the people are hiding under false stories to cover up the attack," he stated.

Ofomata, Chairman of Ebubechukwuzo Foundation owned by the suspected drug lord, Ikegwuonu, said his principal is "an estate developer in South Africa. He has built so many houses even here in Nigeria and sold them. He is also into property management, and he is an importer. He deals with beverages, spare parts, which he imports from, China. Ebubechukwuzo is not a drug pusher.

"Ebubechukwuzo has not complained about having problems with anyone. We have called to ask him if there is anyone he has problem with and he said no.