Home News for Your Perusal VEHICLE BURNT IN FRONT OF A CATHOLIC CHURCH AS IT CLASHES WITH A MASQUERADE… By Fortune Obikwere – ICNews Orlu Zonal Correspondent Sunday, the 29th day of December 2013 appeared to be a black day of culture for the people of Obibi – Ochasi autonomous community in Orlu Local government Area of Imo state when what appeared to be a taboo occurred in the area. ICNews correspondent, Fortune Obikwere gathered from an eye witness, Simeon Japheth Emejuru that he was the one who was exchanging words with the masquerade, when he asked it to move out from the field of play where the youths were playing football. According to him, the masked spirit brought out its cutlass and started to wave it towards him. He continued, “If that cutlass touches me, you will be in trouble,” the story teller told the masquerade. He said that after hearing this comment from him, the masquerade out of anger threw the matchet at him but missed and instead struck an old man nearby. He said that following this incident, the masquerade started retreating and consequently chased by the youths present at the scene. Mr. Emejuru told our correspondent that it was at this juncture that the masquerade brought out gun as it was running and people stoning it, even other masquerades were also stoning back. The gun carrying masquerade shot the gun and the bullet fell of a car. As the driver and the occupant of the Masedez Benz car were running for their life, it collided with one of the masquerades said to have come from Ihioma communities and what followed was the other masquerades gathering around the said vehicle and setting it ablaze. Another eye witness, Mr. Chukwuemeka Ike posits: “I came out in front of the church and see people running and the masquerades’ people were chasing them” Another eye witness yet, Mr. Uzoma Edede said: “In the football pitch, masquerades went there to disrupt the ball, people chased the ‘masked spirit’ with stick, the victim used the back as he reverses his car back, he hit the masquerade; the drove us away from the padded v-boot Mazedez car.” He concluded. When ICNews correspondent sought for the identity of the owner of the burnt car, he was said to be an indigene of Okoro Obi village in Obibi Ochasi autonomous community. When the reporter visited his house, he met his relations, one of whom was Mr. Mathias Chima and Otuodi Chukwu Igwegbe living in the same compound, who acknowledged knowing about his problem but said they didn’t know the details of the attack. However, it was Mr. Igwegbe made the following submission: “I was not at the scene but as I approached the scene, I saw masquerades running homewards with speed. At about 7.00pm, somebody came and reported that the burnt vehicle was that of my brother; I saw Ifenyi (the victim) later and his body was covered with blood, he appeared to be in the company of his wife and son driving the car.” He enthused. When the reporter inquired of the whereabout of the victim, he was told that the victim was residing at Orlu Township. ICNews reporter took off and located him where he was living and had the following encounter with him: ICNews: Good morning Sir. Victim: Good morning my brother. ICNews: My name is Mr. Fortune Obikwere. I work with ICNews. What is your name Sir? Victim: My name is Mr. Ifeanyi Chukwuma from Okorobi, Obibi Ochasi, Orlu LGA ICNews: I was at a scene where your vehicle was alleged to have been burnt when you allegedly knocked down and killed a masquerade, how true was that story Sir? Victim: Yesterday being 28/12/13, we were on a mission for a traditional wedding ceremony with my wife and to also visit the sick among us at Okoro Ugochukwu (Ihiteowerri); at a point, I asked my son to drive the car we were traveling with. When we were coming back, somewhere near St. Joseph Catholic Parish, Obibi Ochasi, I heard a gunshot directed to my vehicle by a masquerade. This broke the back of my windscreen and also chartered the front windscreen of the vehicle. ICNews: what happened then; you pushed the masquerade down? Victim: No, No, No, as the masquerade was chasing us, my son put the vehicle to a reverse to save his life and hit the church fence in the process. The driver escaped and the vehicle was burnt. ICNews: was there any other thin in that vehicle? Victim: Yes; my Samsung galaxy phone, driving license, my son’s departmental ID Card and N70,000 on my wife and off course the vehicle were all burn to ashes. Our reporter gathered that the man’s face was filled with bumps as the time of this interview. Fortune Obikwere – Reporting
Posted on: Tue, 21 Jan 2014 19:56:11 +0000
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