Crisis Brews in Ebonyi Community Over Alleged Shielding of Murder Suspect by DSS Operative

 

Potential crisis is brewing in Umuka community in Okposi, Ohaozara Local Government Area of Ebonyi State over an alleged shielding of a murder suspect by an official of the Department of State Services (DSS).

In a petition addressed to the Ebonyi State Commissioner of Police, the people of Umuka Community through their legal representative, Igwenyi Igwenyi and Co are demanding justice over the murder of a yet to be identified young woman by people suspected to have been led by one Chichebem Okorie Ogudu who was last seen with the deceased.

 

In the petition seen by FACTSHEET, the suspect is alleged to be walking freely following protection by his relative who has been identified as an operative of the DSS attached to the Headquarters of the Service in Abuja.

 

In the petition, the Village Chief and people of Umuka Community, through their legal representatives narrated the disturbing sequence of events that led to the death of the woman.

 

“Our client community is a very peaceful community ruled by enlightened persons namely, Chief Irem Okorie, (a retired school principal) and Dr. Barr Emenike Okorie (a retired staff of Chevron Plc),” the petition read.

 

According to the petition dated June 12, 2025, trouble started during the burial of one Late Aju Nwokorie Aja on April 28, 2025. Around 7.00pm, a woman was allegedly caught trying to carry away a sleeping child during the event. The situation was quickly defused by the community chief, who insisted she be taken to the police.

 

“Bystanders who knew that the baby belonged to another person raised alarm… the attention of the Chief of the Community was drawn to the scene and he came and stopped any attack on the lady and directed that the lady should be taken to Okposi Police Station,” it stated.

 

A youth, identified as Chichebem Okorie Ogudu, volunteered to escort the woman to the police station. This was done in the presence of several community leaders, including the ward councilor and the woman leader. However, the next morning, tragedy struck.

 

“The corpse of a lady was seen at Eke Okposi Motor Park close to the community. The volunteer (Chichebem) that supposedly took the lady to the police did not return back to report to the Chief or any of the villagers that he had dropped the woman at Police station,” the petition stated.

 

It was not until days later that Chichebem was compelled to report to the police in Obiozara. There, he was detained after making what was described as a “useful statement” and allegedly naming accomplices. The case was then transferred to the State CID, Abakaliki.

 

The community was, however, thrown into shock when things took a dramatic as the DSS official identified as a cousin of the prime suspect allegedly highjacked the process in collusion with some police operatives who subsequently removed the name of the suspect, Chichebem from police records while the other two accomplices remain in detention.

 

“While the case was pending, a senior staff of Directorate of State Security (DSS) who is a cousin to the prime suspect (Enechi Agwu Ogudu) literally took over the case from the Police State CID and the name of Chichebem Okorie Ogudu, was suspiciously removed from the case,” the petition alleged.

 

Currently, while Maduabuchi John Ori and Eze Chidi Eze, two individuals named as accomplices, are remanded at the Correctional Service Centre in Abakaliki, the community alleges that the prime suspect, Chichebem, is walking freely in their midst.

 

“The crux of this petition is to alert you that the community is presently boiling because of the clear injustice. The prime suspect is walking about freely in the village because his cousin is a Senior Staff of DSS while others who do not have ‘big men’ are languishing at the Correctional Service Center,” the letter stated.

 

The  shocked and apprehensive community is calling on both the police and the Government of Ebonyi State to intervene in the matter to avoid any crisis in the community.

 

“We pray the Commissioner of Police to direct the immediate arrest and charging of Chichebem Okorie Ogudu for murder of the lady whose blood is crying to the high heavens,” the petition concluded.

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