Abagana –Ukpo land dispute: Victim who died in detention buried amidst tears, wailing

By Vincent Ujumadu, Awka

TEARS flowed uncontrollably yesterday at Abagana in Njikoka local government area of Anambra State as the community buried Mr. Ebele Nwochu, who died in detention after his arrest by the police in August last year.

Nwochu was arrested along with 23 others following the destruction of the police post located on the disputed land between Abagana and Ukpo in Dunukofia local government area.

One person was killed and the Divisional Police Officer, DPO, for Dunukofia and three other policemen sustained injuries during an attack on the police formation. Some police vehicles were also torched, leading to the arrest of several people.

About 23 suspects, including Nwochu, who were arrested after the attack, were later charged to court, while the injured persons were treated in the hospital.

To the surprise of Abagana people, Nwochu died in detention under controversial circumstances at a time his people were making efforts to secure bail for him.

Thereafter, Abagana community fixed yesterday for the burial, which attracted the who –is-who in the area.

As early as 8.00am, the entire community, including men, women and youths, wearing black dresses, converged at the Oyeagu Abagana market and chanted funeral and war songs.

They wailed and sobbed and for about two hours, traffic on the Awka –Onitsha road was at a standstill as the mourners accompanied the brown coffin bearing his corpse to his country home.

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