The Enugu State Police Command has confirmed the arrest of a native doctor and the father of a 26-year-old man, Chikwado Celestine Eze, who died during a failed fortification ritual in Ugbaike, Enugu Ezike, Igbo-Eze North Local Government Area.
According to reports, Chikwado had secured a visa to travel abroad, then he travelled to his village to share the news with his father, Mr Uwakwe Eze. However, his father insisted on a fortification ritual to ensure his success overseas. The father then took him to a native doctor, identified as Enuwa Odugu, to perform the ritual.
The ritual said to “fortify” Chikwado, took a deadly turn when Odugu allegedly claimed that the young man needed to be buried alive for one hour and 30 minutes. When Chikwado was exhumed after the stipulated time, he was found unresponsive. Despite being rushed to the hospital, he was confirmed dead by the attending doctor.
In a statement released yesterday, the Enugu State Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Daniel Ndukwe, confirmed the arrests of the native doctor, Enuwa Odugu, 48, and Uwakwe Eze, 67, for their involvement in the death of Chikwado. The suspects have been charged with conspiracy and murder.
“The incident is alleged to have occurred when Uwakwe Eze took his son to the native doctor’s shrine for a ritual intended to fortify him with charms. However, during the ritual, the deceased was buried in a coffin but unfortunately died in the process,” the statement read.
The police revealed that the native doctor confessed to his role in the incident and to conducting similar rituals in the past. He attributed Chikwado’s death to the young man’s failure to follow certain ritual rules he had prescribed.
DSP Ndukwe added that the case is currently under investigation and both suspects will be arraigned in court upon the conclusion of the investigation. Chikwado’s body has been deposited in the mortuary for preservation and autopsy.
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