By CHARLES IWUOHA

Indegines of Amaeze in Ishiagu community in Ivo local government area of Ebonyi have been gripped with panic and fear as three bodies of their youths were found on a farmland in the area.

Mr Monday Okorie, chairman of Amaeze community development Union confirmed the incident with NewsExpress on Monday in Abakaliki.

Okorie who said that news about the gruesome murder of the Indegines broke out when some women who went to farm stumbled into the decapitated bodies of the dead victims.

According to him, information about the incident is still sketchy but added that the incident had been reported to the police.

He said said that the bodies were discovered at ‘Uzohu’ a farmland along the borders of Ishiagu and Lokpa community in Abia state.

He said that two of the dead victims including Mr Anthony Orji and Ogonna Ngwu one, former Youth President of the community were from Amaeze while the third victim was an indigene of Ihietutu community resident in Amaeze.

“I was alerted by some community women who were going to their farms early this morning about the discovery of three bodies at a farmland at border between our community and Lokpa community in Abia state.

“I immediately made contact with the Ivo Division of the Nigeria Police and also mobilised our youths who went with the police and recovered the bodies.

“We cannot for now ascertain the real cause, motive or those behind the killing of these our vibrant youths,” Okorie said.

He noted that the cold blooded murder of the three youths had caused fear and panic in the community and urged the police to spare no resources in unmasking the perpetrators of the crime.

“The entire community is in deep shock and mourning and I’m calling on the police and other security agencies to everything within the ambits of the law fish out the killers,” he added.

Okorie said that victims were said to have gone to work on Sunday but were not seen by their families before the news about the discovery of their bodies broke out earlier in the morning.

He added that the corpses had been deposited at a morgue in Ishiagu General Hospital for autopsy and necessary investigation.

Mr Cyril Orji, elder brother to one of the slain victims who spoke to NewsExpress also confirmed incident saying that the victim went to farm on Sunday but could not return.

He said: It’s true. Tony is among those killed by yet to be identified person or persons; Tony’s body has been deposited in a morgue, ” he said.

Efforts to speak with Mrs Loveth Odah, Police Public Relations Officer, Ebonyi Command was not successful.

Meanwhile, a top police source at the Ivo Division of the Nigeria Police who spoke on condition of anonymity confirmed the incident but gave no further details.

“We got a distress call from the chairman of Amaeze community about the discovery of three fresh dead bodies at a farmland at a border between Amaeze and Lokpa community.

“The Divisional Police Officer mobilised officers to the scene of the crime and recovered the three bodies which have been deposited at a morgue in Ishiagu,” the source said.

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