Grief and anger have engulfed Amangwo Umuigu, a community in Oboro, Ikwuano Local Government Area of Abia State, following the discovery of the headless and decomposing body of 25-year-old resident, Solomon Ikoku, who was abducted over a month ago.
Ikoku, who had been missing since September 27, 2025, was reportedly taken from his family home around 5 am during the community’s New Yam Festival (Iriji).
Eyewitnesses said armed men from an alleged vigilante group invaded the house, beat Ikoku severely, and dragged him away to an unknown destination.
Sunday PUNCH gathered that after weeks of unsuccessful searches, local youths launched a renewed operation on October 27, 2025.
Their efforts led to the discovery of Solomon’s mutilated remains in a shallow stream between Amangwo Umuigu and a neighbouring community.
Parts of his remains, including a leg, were later found in a nearby bush, sparking outrage among residents.
A youth volunteer involved in the search who spoke with our correspondent on condition of anonymity on Wednesday, said the discovery left the team devastated.
“We found his bones and the same clothes he wore that morning,” he said.
The incident has sparked outrage among residents, who accused members of the vigilante group allegedly loyal to the traditional ruler of the community, Eze Larry Agwu, of carrying out the abduction and murder.
However, Agwu denied involvement in the incident, describing the claim as false and politically motivated.
Speaking with Saturday PUNCH, Agwu said, “What you heard is what they wrote. It never happened that way. It is my people who are writing those things. We are having an eze (kingship) tussle problem, and those behind it are trying to frame me.”
The monarch insisted he neither supported nor ordered any attack on the deceased, explaining that the disbanded vigilante group operated independently.
Agwu explained that he first learnt about the young man’s disappearance several days after the New Yam Festival, adding that the vigilante group had informed him that they were called by the victim’s sister to intervene after the boy allegedly threatened their mother with a knife.
“They told me the sister called them around 4 am to say the boy came back home, took her ATM card, and used a knife to threaten their mother. The vigilante group said they went there because they feared he could harm her.
“The vigilante group was inaugurated by the then chairman, village head, myself, and the police division. No one person can sack or control them alone. If there’s any issue, we all must sit with the police to decide,” he said.
The monarch confirmed that the State Criminal Investigation Department had taken over the case and directed community members to continue searching the surrounding areas for the boy’s missing body parts.
“The Deputy Commissioner at the State CID told us to go back and search the stream. I instructed my people to do so, and they found the leg bone. The police have since taken it to the mortuary,” he said.
The deceased’s brother, Victor Ikoku, in a phone conversation with Sunday PUNCH on Thursday, alleged that the attack was planned.
“They burnt his body and took his head. The vigilante came to arrest him for nothing,” he claimed.
He also denied the monarch’s claim that it was his sister who called the vigilante group on the day the deceased was abducted.
The community chairman, Munachi Onwuchekwa, in an interview with our correspondent, revealed that the victim was taken away by members of the vigilante group.
According to Onwuchekwa, the group was not recognised by the community but operated under the king’s authority.
“This young man was taken by the self-styled vigilante group organised by the king, not by the community,” he said.
Onwuchekwa said the community had previously disbanded the vigilante group about four years ago, citing misconduct, but the king allegedly continued to fund and support its activities.
“I went to the king more than 10 times to complain about the group’s behaviour, but he refused to dissolve them,” he added.
The police have reportedly arrested six members of the vigilante group, while others remain at large.
The alleged suspects are Alozie Eluwa, Stanley Okutuo, Godwin Kanu, Maduabuchi Enyinnaya, Godwin Sampson, Emeka Nwagboso, Ikechi Hope, Michael Benson (aka ‘Tallest’), Chief Chituru Oti Ofo, Chichetaram Azuoru (aka ‘Aboy’), Chikeka Nwosu, Eze Promise Chimobi, and Basil Okoro.
Meanwhile, the Abia State Police Command has called for patience from members of the community, saying an investigation was ongoing on the matter.
The Police Public Relations Officer in the state, Maureen Chinaka, who spoke to our correspondent, urged members of the public to allow the police to carry out their work professionally without undue pressure or interference.
“If you ask the police to investigate something, you allow the police to investigate. Investigation is not done in a day or two. It takes time. This is an offence that needs proper investigation,” she explained.
The police spokesperson noted that while some individuals were seeking to “push” the case into the media to expedite action, such pressure would not influence the pace or quality of the investigation.
“They’ve already told me that they want to invite the media to give it a push. I said I’m sitting here and watching. Let them call the whole world. Investigation must still be done properly. It’s not by calling the whole world that we get investigation done,” she said.
