Crime rate is assuming unprecedented dimension in Enugu state. CHUKS NWEZE writes on how a woman mysteriously disappeared since last year until family members confirmed her death.
In recent times, unimaginable things have been happening as if they were magic, but real. Enugu state has had a bit of such. For instance, unimaginable crimes are taking place on daily basis. While some of them are reported, others are not. Some of them appear as if they are dramatised, like when a teacher punishes her maid with a hot iron or when a so-called man of God collects huge sums of money from his members through the discredited ‘wonder bank’ with the pretext of increasing their returns only for their investments to vanish into thing air.
Often times, police authorities used to parade such suspects monthly at the their headquarters. Watching the unfolding scenario, most of the cases are baffling such that if the suspects are not paraded, one would go with the impression that such were a hoax and Enugu is indeed crime-free and a haven of peace, but that is a far-cry especially with recent developments.
Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi had in his own estimation given the state a clean slate deviod of crimes. This was when he handed over the state into the hands of God, hence the popular saying in the state that, “Enugu is indeed in the hands of God.” However, as the Biblical saying goes, there is no doubt that if God does not guard a city, the watchmen, security men would watch in vain.
Despite all these, are things really happening well in Enugu in spite of the fact that the government and indeed Gov Ugwuanyi left everything to divine intervention? Certainly no, rather, it has continued to happen as in the case of a 48-year old widow, late Mrs Euphemia Nneka Akubue whose disappearance and death still remains a mystery till date.
The late Mrs Akabue who hailed from Aku in Igbo Etiti local government area of the state used to run a restaurant at the Garriki Market Area called Awgu within the City Mass Transit Depot.
Her disappearance actually started on December 21 2021 she left for her shop in the morning as usual but disappeared into thin air up until now.Blueprint gathered that the last time she was seen was four months ago when she reportedly bought food items for her children and told them to take it home with the hope of rejoining them later in the evening, but that never was as the children continued to wait in vain till 10 pm on the fateful day. In the process, they raised the alarm cry and the search for her began in ernest.
Blueprint gathered that before her disappearance and demise, she was blessed with five children. One of them, according to available information, is a policeman in the rank of Constable who goes by the name Mr Onyebuchi Akubue Jnr presently serving at Ogbede, Igbo Etiti local government area of the state as at the time of filing this report.
While narrating their ordeal at their residence located off Ebonyi Paint Road, Gariki, Enugu, a family member by the name Mmesoma Akubue who just finished from the senior secondary school and is waiting to gain admission into a higher institution of learing, said that their mother’s disappearance left them devastated especially since they had lost their father earlier.
She however said that it has been discovered that their mother was abducted and killed. Speaking further she said that one of those who killed their mother was caught by the police as her assailants were using her phone which enabled the police to track them.
She could not give details as she said that she was in school when the incident happened but she said that their mother was not having any problems with anybody that she was aware of.
A younger sister to the late Akubue, Blessing Anikwe disclosed to newsmen later that the person that was arrested in connection with the death of her sister hails from Abakaliki in Ebonyi state, but could not however say where or how the police caught the suspect.
She was also not willing to give out the late widow’s picture, her phone number and other details to newsmen.
In all of these, the spokesperson of the police in the state, Mr Daniel Ndukwe however said he was not aware of the incident that took place since December 21, 2021. He however requested our correspondent to find out and inform him afterwards.
“You just told me that so, so and so thing happened somewhere. I cannot be everywhere and I’m not aware. Seek clarification where the killer was arrested and tell me,” he said.
The disappearance and the eventual killing of the late widow is just one of the many ugly incidents taking place in the hitherto serene Enugu state.
