Residents of the Oriendu autonomous community in Umuahia North Local Government Area have been thrown into panic following the discovery of over 30 unidentified bodies in the Imo River.
The shocking revelation was made by the traditional ruler of the community, Eze Philip Ajomiwe, during a press conference at his palace.
Eze Ajomiwe disclosed that many of the bodies, particularly those of young girls, were found with missing vital organs, fueling suspicions that they were victims of ritual killings. He alleged that the bodies were likely dumped into the river by ritualists from the Imo State side, as the river serves as a boundary between the two states.
“The bodies, like the recent one, are either naked and without their private parts or in a bag. There have also been cases of decomposing bodies found beside the NNPC pipeline,” the monarch stated.
He further revealed that most of the victims were young girls and lamented that security agencies had yet to make any arrests despite multiple discoveries. The situation, he said, had instilled fear in the community, with residents waking up to gruesome sights along the riverbank.
Eze Ajomiwe expressed frustration over the inability of the community’s vigilante group to apprehend the perpetrators, citing a lack of adequate equipment. He called on the state government to provide the necessary resources and logistical support to strengthen security efforts.
The monarch also noted that his repeated complaints to security agencies had yielded no results. His latest appeal, a formal letter addressed to the Speaker of the State House of Assembly on February 7, remains unanswered.
