The Nigeria Police Command in Enugu State has confirmed the tragic death of Chikwado Eze, a young man from Ugbaike community in Igbo-Eze North Local Government Area.
Naija News learnt that Eze reportedly died during a ritual meant to “fortify” him before his planned journey abroad.
The ritual was conducted by a native doctor, Enuwa Odugu, and involved burying Eze alive for an hour and thirty minutes, a procedure believed to bring success in foreign ventures. Unfortunately, Eze did not survive the ordeal.
In an official statement, police spokesperson Daniel Ndukwe disclosed that both the native doctor, Enuwa Odugu, aged 48, and the victim’s father, Uwakwe Eze, aged 67, were arrested for their roles in the conspiracy and murder of 26-year-old Chikwado Celestine Eze.
According to the police, Odugu admitted to performing the deadly ritual and acknowledged similar practices in the past. He claimed that Eze’s death occurred because he did not follow specific ritual instructions.
The police report stated: “A native doctor, one Enuwa Odugu ‘m’, aged 48, and Uwakwe Eze ‘m’, aged 67, were arrested for conspiracy and the murder of Eze’s 26-year-old son, one Chikwado Celestine Eze.
“The incident is alleged to have occurred when Uwakwe Eze took his son to the native doctor’s shrine for rituals intended to fortify him with charms. However, during the ritual, the deceased was buried in a coffin but unfortunately died in the process. He was rushed to the hospital and confirmed dead by the attending doctor, and his body has been deposited in the mortuary for preservation and autopsy.”
Police investigations are ongoing, and the suspects will face prosecution once inquiries are concluded.