The remains of a 78-year-old man in Ekoli community, Edda Local Government Area of Ebonyi State, Chief Johnson Okoro Obasi, murdered by suspected political thugs, have been committed to Mother Earth.

Obasi was said to have been attacked by the political thugs in the community on 1st June this year during the crisis between two rival groups in the area which led to the death of some members of the community with property worth millions of naira destroyed.

Autopsy conducted on his body indicated that the man died as a result of internal bleeding and bruises he sustained when he was attacked.

At the weekend, he was buried inside his house in the community amidst tears and tributes.

In his own tribute, his nephew, Dr Eni Uduma Chima, lamented his killing and urged him to avenge it.

Chima, a former House of Assembly member and former Chairman of the local government, said the deceased would have lived longer than his age if his killers did not send him to the untimely grave.

He disclosed that longevity runs in the family which accounted why some members of the family lived more than 100 years and wondered why his life was cut short.

“Your years on earth were brutally cut short by agents of darkness, even though you belonged to a stock in which longevity is taken for granted—the ‘Ibe Eze Nta Aja’ family.

“I shall not dwell on the sorrow of your forced exit, because I know that you are on your way back.

“You delivered the right message to ‘Ali Manu’. While you were still in a parley in the spirit world, assassination attempts were made on your beloved ones.

“Perhaps through your intercession, the presence there that your absence here availed your loved ones prevailed.

“We mourn you in vigilance because your killers and their sponsors are still roaming free, showing neither sobriety nor remorse, fearing neither the laws of God nor the laws of men.

“Now, take up your sword in the spirit world and go after your killers and their sponsors,” he said.

He described his uncle as a man blessed in many aspects—good looks, strength and vigour, sound health, procreation, family life, sound mind, and great vision.

Traditional rulers of the community lamented his killing by those they described as politicians and evil men.

One of them, Etta Egor Akanu, alleged that those arrested for killing some members of the community have been freed, thereby causing disquiet in the area.

“Politicians sent their thugs to beat up Okoro Obasi and he died as a result of the attack. These politicians are evil men who don’t want the community to be in peace, they are the ones who killed Okoro Obasi.

“He was killed by catcham boys who have been terrorising our community and they know themselves.

“I am very happy that Okoro Obasi’s body was taken for autopsy and results showed that he died as a result of the attack by these thugs.

“I would have been angry with Eni Uduma Chima if he didn’t agree to take Okoro Obasi’s body for the autopsy. But since he agreed and the body was taken for autopsy and results showed that he died as a result of the attack, I am very happy and I am not angry with Eni Uduma Chima.

“Government should stop releasing all these people causing trouble in our community. Some persons were arrested for killing another member of the community, Nnachi Uzor, and they were released from prison custody a month after being remanded by the court.

“These people are back terrorising our community, there is disquiet in our community and all the things that were recommended during a peaceful meeting of stakeholders of our community and Governor Francis Nwifuru for lasting peace in our community, none of them have been done.

“What we are rather seeing is increase in the harassment, intimidation and fear in our community by these thugs,” he said.

Another traditional ruler, Thomas Ama, who also expressed sadness over the killing of Thomas Okoro Obasi, recommended immediate implementation of all the recommendations made during the community stakeholders meeting with Governor Francis Nwifuru to return normalcy to the troubled community.

He alleged that a particular group is still parading arms with which they use to terrorise members of the community against the Governor’s directive that every group must lay down arms.