Land dispute: body of murdered farmer recovered from Ebonyi River

Ebonyi police has confirmed the recovery of the lifeless body of a 53-year-old man, Joseph Isu, who was abducted in his farmland near the scene of a land/quarry ownership clash between Amata Akpoha and Ezeke Amasiri communities in Afikpo North local government area of Ebonyi state.
The commands spokesperson, DSP Loveth Odah, confirmed the recovery yesterday in a statement made available to journalists in Abakaliki.

The deceased killers according to the police invaded his farm and abducted him while eight other farmers escaped with various degrees of injuries.
According to her, when the family reported to the police, the DPO of the area declared a search party which led to recovery of the decomposing body.

She said, “You would recall that on 28th September, 2020 one Joseph Isu aged 53yrs was declared missing by the family after the attack on Amata Akpoha people at the farmland by suspected Ezeke Amasiri Community over land/quarry ownership where about three (3) persons were also reported injured and were taken to the hospital for medical treatment.

“The search party organised by the Afikpo north Divisional Police Officer (DPO) has on 01/10/2020 recovered the body of the said Mr. Joseph packaged in a cellophane bag with heavy stone hanged round his neck, with gunshot injury on his right leg and his stomach cut wide open. The corpse has been deposited at Mata Hospital Mortuary for autopsy.
“The commissioner of police Ebonyi state CP Philip Sule Maku, who described the incident as barbaric and inhuman, mourned and commiserated with the deceased’s family, the general public, especially the people of Amata Akpoha Community in Afikpo North LGA of the state. He urged them to remain calm and not to take laws into their hands as he has ordered full scale investigation into the matter with a view to arresting and prosecuting the assailants.”

“The CP advocated alternative dispute resolution (ADR) instead of violence, and urged the members of the public with useful information that will lead to the arrest of the perpetrators not to hesitate to call the police through the command distress call No 07064515001. 

Meanwhile, the victim’s wife, Mrs Florence Sunday Isu, who spoke with our correspondent, lamented the gruesome murder of her husband, stating that, with his sudden death, it would be difficult for her to raise their seven children alone.

She called on the security operatives I’m the state to ensure that killers of her husband were arrested and brought to justice. “My husband was killed like a goat. If not for the help of the community, I wouldn’t have seen my husband’s body. I’m finished. I am finished. Government should arrest killers of my husband let them die like him”, she retorted.