State have still not come to terms with the heinous murder of their
illustration son, Chief Ignatius Odunukwe, who was kidnapped and later
hacked to death by his abductors.
Odunukwe who had businesses interest across many states of the
federation, was lured by his kidnappers who posed as real estate agents
interested in buying a property from him.
He was declared missing having been kidnapped last December and his
decomposing body found on January 16, 2020, after his kidnappers were
caught and led the police to the location where they dumped his
dismembered body inside a sack in bush.
According to reports, he was last seen when he went to seal a land deal
with his murderers who posed as real estate buyers interested in one of
his properties.
After negotiations, both parties agreed on a price and the agreement was
drafted by Odunukwe’s lawyers which he took to the purported buyers
His vehicle was found in the premises of the hotel where he agreed to
meet with the buyers, but the hotel management said he didn’t enter
inside the hotel building and their CCTV covers only the inside of the
hotel.
The police after days of search succeeded in arresting one of the
suspects who denied knowledge of the incident.
But when the police went to his house, they found Odunukwe’s property
documents which had been signed.
The man insisted that he already concluded the land business deal with
Chief Odunukwe and paid for the property. However, when the police asked
him for the account number where he made the payments, he claimed he
paid in gold.
The family’s eldest man, 86-year-old Chief Boniface Odunukwe and
President-General of Oraukwu Progressive Union, Barrister Cyril Ejidike,
described the late Ignatius as a great philathtropist and peace -maker
who had contributed immensely to the development of the town in many
ways.
According to them, the demise of the late business mogul will be felt by
the community as everybody will miss his goodwill.
Odunukwe said that he and the entire community were confused with the
news about his brother’s death and subsequent dismemberment.
According to him, what they normally hear about were that people were
shot with gun and had never heard about murdering people and
dismembering them because they wanted to take their property.
“We are totally confused because we have not heard about this kind of
killing. This is terrible and an abomination. I never heard of since I
was born,” he said.
Odunukwe said his murdered younger brother even came home last December
for the burial of their brothers.
According to him, the family is appealing to the government to do the
needful so that justice would be done to everyone in the case.
On whether the community will give him befitting burial rite given the
circumstances of his death, he said he would get all the burial rites
saying that he could only be denied if he had committed suicide.
Also, Barrister Ejidike said the community was in pains following the
death of their highly illustrious son in such a horrible and painful
circumstances.
According to him, since the day his death was confirmed, all of the
community was thrown into mourning, saying that the shock was
uncontrollable.
He described the late Ignatius Odunukwe as an easy going philanthropist
who was committed to the development of the town through youth
empowerment and education.
“He loved the town. He was a great philanthropist who had been doing a
lot for the development of the town. He built a roundabout and decorated
it, and has done so much things that he would be remembered for in ages
to come.
His family has also been doing great things towards youth empowerment
and the development of the community,” he said.