Tension is mounting in Umuka community, Okposi, in Ohaozara Local Government Area of Ebonyi State, as residents cry out over what they describe as a blatant cover-up in a murder case involving a young woman allegedly last seen in the custody of a local youth.
The suspect, Chichebem Okorie Ogudu, is reportedly walking freely in the community despite being the last known person with the victim — a development the people of Umuka say is possible due to the intervention of his cousin, a senior officer in the Department of State Services (DSS).
In a strongly worded petition to the Ebonyi State Commissioner of Police, the Village Chief and members of Umuka Community, through their lawyers, Igwenyi, Igwenyi and Co, detailed a troubling account of the events that led to the woman’s death.
“Our client community is a very peaceful community ruled by enlightened persons namely, Chief Irem Okorie (a retired school principal) and Dr. Barr Emenike Okorie (a retired staff of Chevron Plc),” the petition began, establishing the credibility of the leadership calling for justice.
According to the petition dated June 12, 2025, the tragic incident occurred on April 28 during the burial of one Late Aju Nwokorie Aja. At about 7:00 p.m., a woman was reportedly caught attempting to abduct a sleeping child. Community members who raised the alarm were calmed by the village chief, who ordered that the woman be taken to the police.
“Bystanders who knew that the baby belonged to another person raised alarm… the attention of the Chief of the Community was drawn to the scene and he came and stopped any attack on the lady and directed that the lady should be taken to Okposi Police Station,” the petition stated.
Chichebem Okorie Ogudu offered to take the woman to the station in full view of community leaders, including the ward councillor and the women leader. But the following morning, a shocking discovery was made.
“The corpse of a lady was seen at Eke Okposi Motor Park close to the community. The volunteer (Chichebem) that supposedly took the lady to the police did not return back to report to the Chief or any of the villagers that he had dropped the woman at Police station,” the petition read.
Days later, Chichebem was compelled to report to the police station in Obiozara. There, he was detained after giving what was described as a “useful statement,” in which he allegedly implicated others. The case was transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (CID) in Abakaliki.
However, the community alleges that a senior DSS official — identified as Enechi Agwu Ogudu and a cousin of the suspect — began interfering with the case.
“While the case was pending, a senior staff of Directorate of State Security (DSS) who is a cousin to the prime suspect (Enechi Agwu Ogudu) literally took over the case from the Police State CID and the name of Chichebem Okorie Ogudu was suspiciously removed from the case,” the petition alleged.
Meanwhile, two others named as accomplices — Maduabuchi John Ori and Eze Chidi Eze — remain in custody at the Abakaliki Correctional Centre, while Chichebem continues to live freely in the community, further fuelling public anger.
“The crux of this petition is to alert you that the community is presently boiling because of the clear injustice. The prime suspect is walking about freely in the village because his cousin is a Senior Staff of DSS while others who do not have ‘big men’ are languishing at the Correctional Service Center,” the petition warned.
In their final plea, the community called on the Ebonyi State Police Command to restore justice and re-arrest Chichebem.
“We pray the Commissioner of Police to direct the immediate arrest and charging of Chichebem Okorie Ogudu for murder of the lady whose blood is crying to the high heavens,” the petition concluded.
As of the time of filing this report, the Police Public Relations Officer in the state, Joshua Ukandu, had not issued any official statement on the matter.
