BY RAYMOND OZOJI, Awka
Indigenes of Umueri community in Anambra-East Local Government Area of Anambra State have declared that a certain publication trending online where a journalist claimed that a certain widow was assaulted, beaten and stripped naked by some persons in the community and compelled to swear before different shrines are mere falsehoods intended to ignite crisis in the area.
Although the said journalist had reported that one Obiageli Nnalue, the alleged victim was being maltreated by the people, further investigations into the matter revealed that Obiageli Nnalue was not a widow and she was not married to anyone because her bride price had been returned to her maiden home Nteje Oyi Local Government Area of Anambra State.
This journalist gathered that nobody assaulted or stripped Obiageli Nnalue naked neither did anyone forced her to swear at four different shrines instead it was her 17 year old son who attempted to rape a septuagenarian as he confessed in a viral video upon interrogations.
Speaking on the development, Chief Security Officer of Umueri community, Mr. Oba Okechukwu said Obiageli Nnalue had committed so many abominable acts including using matchets to inflict deep cut in the head of an old woman who almost lost her life when she was rushed to Umueri General Hospital over excessive bleeding from the head, adding that there is a video evidence of the old woman receiving treatment at the hospital.
Okechukwu said that the whole problem started when the family where she was married to at Amukwa village Umueri declared that they were no longer interested in the marriage and that she has to leave the family as a result of her atrocities and ungodly lifestyle. The woman, according to him, declined and insisted she would remain in the family until the Court decides her fate.
He said even as as the matter was still in Court, Mrs. Obiageli Nnalue continued with her atrocities as her son attempted to rape an old woman. Rather than show remorse for what her son did, she supported him and thereafter led her sons to brutalise one Amaechi Aroemeka's mother, a septuagenarian they inflicted serious injury in the head with cutlass.
The Umueri Chief Security Officer emphasized that the woman was not stripped naked; that if she is claiming such, she should provide pictures of where she was stripped naked even as he informed too that the matter has been reported to Otuocha Police Station in the area.
Another indigene of the community, Mr. Odogwu Ofoma disclosed that the woman was married from Nteje but barely three months into the marriage, they discovered a lot of hidden flaws in her and concluded that they would discontinue the marriage and repatriate her. That they were currently in Court.
Ofoma accused Obiageli Nnalue of being a witch who has also initiated all her children into witchcraft and voodooism and that Obiageli Nnalue's children are members of secret cults . He therefore maintained that Obiageli Nnalue was not a widow because she was not married to anyone in Amukwa village Umueri.
According to Ofoma, Umueri community is not known for maltreating people let alone a woman whose husband is late. He added that the publication claiming that a widow was beaten and stripped naked was fallacious and fictitious, stressing that it was only intended to tarnish the image and reputation of the community.
Meanwhile Amaechi Aroemeka, a native of Amaukwa village Umueri, whose mother was the victim of matchet cut in the head, said Obiageli Nnalue and one Ijele were the problems of Amaukwa village since four years now.
He also corroborated what others said, saying that Obiageli Nnalue's son who is about 17 years of age attempted to rape a septuagenarian. That when the youths of Amaukwa intervened, the woman threatened to kill all the youths who punished his son for attempting to rape an old woman.
Aroemeka maintained that 26th February, 2024 was the day his aged mother met her fate. He said one Ijele and Chidera one of the sons of Obiageli Nnalue invaded their family compound and Chidera inflicted matchet cut on his mother's head.
He said the incident was reported to the Otuocha Police Division but the said Ijele instructed them not to honour the invitation from the police even as he pointed out that the case was transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department where the culprits were invited and some arrests were made.
He said Obiageli Nnalue was not a widow and she is not married to anyone in Amaukwa village. That the family where she currently lives has asked her to leave but she insisted she would not leave.
Aroemeka also disclosed that Obiageli Nnalue had been married at Umunya community from whence she brought all her children to Amaukwa village Umueri for another marital expedition but her ill character and diabolic lifestyle made it impossible for her to be accepted by the people.
He however stressed the dire need for thorough investigations into sensitive issues to avoid feeding the public with half truth and falsehoods as seen in the publication where a journalist claimed that a widow was stripped naked in Umueri whereas such thing never occurred in the community.
Amaechi Aroemeka's mother inflicted with matchet cut in the head by Obiageli Nnalue's son Chidera.