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Tuesday 6 March 2018

A mysterious discovery at Onitsha mansion

A mysterious discovery at Onitsha mansion

Most times, people tend to believe in some superstitious claims. In one of such claims, people believe that one’s destiny can be taken by another person. It is also common among the people to suspect most rich men and women of being behind some persons’ misfortune or downfall. However, the daily rituals, sudden death, calamity and social evil had also compounded the thinking of most people to severe the truth from false claims.

The recent tragedy in Onitsha, the commercial hub of Anambra State, where bricklayers and diggers exhumed a fetish object at Egerton Street, buried deep inside the floor of a 5-storey mansion is an eloquent testimony that the world is full of signs and wonders and the more you look, the less you see. The object contained in a pot of clay according to the diggers was running around as they tried to exhume it.

They also claimed that the pot containing the mysterious object was making noise as it moved from one end of the pit to another. The diggers, who did not want their names in print, said: “We are here to dig this place for the installation of overhead water tank. We have digged almost 20ft before we stumbled on this object. We raised an alarm when the object started shaking and subsequently rolled from one end of the wall to another.

“This attracted the attention of passersby as we scampered for safety. The man, who contracted us was not in the house. We managed to over-power the object and that is what you see there, near the white bucket in a clay pot.

We have to make sure we complete our job and collect our money because whatever was buried here was not our portion and not for us”, one of the diggers said”.

Some of the passers-by alleged that most mansion in most cities are built on top of some devilish objects. A man, who gave his name as Pastor Dickson Onuma, claimed that in the course of his evangelical missions, he had been used to exhuming fetish objects, in families, shops, churches and private home. Sometimes, they will exhume casket, human skulls and so many. “You don’t know what this was meant for but believe it or leave it, is for devilish intentions.”

“Some tenants can live in a house for up wards of 20 – 30 years. They will continue to expirience hardship, impotency, poverty and what have you. Unless you give your life to Christ, you can’t survive this situation,” the Pastor warned. Another man said some bury their witchcraft in their houses and tenants will continue to pay house rent without any achievement. “There are some places where one will live and children will be dying one after the other.

These things are real and this will serve as an eye opener for those who witnessed this today. However, there are those who do this to protect their lives, especially the occult men and women.

So, this is not peculiar to the Igbo people. It is seen mostly in every other part of the country.” Meanwhile, all efforts by our correspondent to speak with the landlord of the house proved abortive.

For three consecutive times, this correspondent visited the house, there were indication that people have deserted the building, as only very few children were sighted at the second floor of the 5-storey building hanging at the corridor, looking innocently at the bewildered members of the public, who cluster near the building discussing in low tone and pointing fingers at the house..

A vulcanizer, who works in front of the house, told our correspondent that he only sighted the landlord once since the incident happened but it seems he has travelled. When asked if he knows if he took the object away, he said ‘no’ but the object is no longer there. He said that some of the tenants in the house have also not been seen as before.

“I don’t know about them but I have not seen some of them drive in or out as they used to do before that thing happened. I am not their gateman and I can’t speak for anybody

20 killed, 300 cows stolen in fresh Taraba violence

20 killed, 300 cows stolen in fresh Taraba violence

About 20 persons have been reported killed and 300 cows stolen, following a fresh outbreak of ethnic violence on the Mambilla Plateau in Sardauna Local Government Area of Taraba State, yesterday.

A fleeing resident, Saadu Mogoggo, who said his house was attacked at Leme suburb of Gembu, said two of his brothers were killed on Saturday evening and their cattle rustled by a group he identified as the Mambilla Militia.

His words: “As I speak with you, we are yet to bury their corpses. The ethnic militias attacked our residence in Leme, where they killed our father last month. During this attack, the Mambillas took away over 100 cows.

“My two younger brothers reported the matter to a nearby military base and a soldier was attached as escort to retrieve the stolen cows. Unfortunately, in the process, my younger brothers were both killed while the soldier fled with injury.”

Abdu Gagarau, another resident of the area, who said he was speaking from hiding, said: “The burning and killing by herdsmen continued till early this morning (yesterday).

“Since last Thursday they have been attacking our settlements and over 20 people killed. Some were buried and over 300 cattle stolen by the militias.

“The Mambila ethnic group is known for attacking other tribes. They attacked the Panso in 1982, the Fulani in 2002 and in 2017. When eventually we retaliate, the normal shouts of herdsmen will start. Let government be proactive and come to our rescue.”

Fulani cry to govt

A Fulani community leader in the area, Mr. Ahmadu Nguroje, called for government and security intervention.

Mr. Nguroje said: “At least 20 people are feared killed, looting of houses, shops and burning down to ashes by the Mambilla militias along Tapare and Yerimaru axis have been recorded here in Sardauna Local Government Area of Taraba State.

“About 12 others were also injured and are on admission at a hospital in Gembu.”

The lawmaker representing Nguroje and Gembu constituency in the state House of Assembly, Bashir Muhammad, confirmed the latest disturbances.

He said: “There have been violent and systematic killings of Fulani nomadic herdsmen in the remote areas in Mambilla Plateau.

“It is unfortunate that while efforts are being made to restore peace, the killings continued unabated with many people feared killed between Thursday and Sunday (yesterday), just as dozens of livestock were killed or injured. I was even told that over 200 cows were rustled.

“Security is grossly in adequate because some of the affected villages are in hinterlands that can take one or two hours to access. We want more security personnel, particularly soldiers, to ensure peace.”

Governor speaks

Reacting, Governor Darius Ishaku, who spoke through his Senior Special Assistant on Public Affairs, Emmanuel Bello, called for an end to the violence.

His words: “Anyone who takes any life, irrespective of religion or tribe, is a criminal; whether it is on the summits of Mambilla or the plains of Southern Taraba and anywhere in this state. And we shall deal with them as criminals.

“We are committed to an amicable resolution of the crisis in the state and peaceful co-existence of all ethnic nationalities,” attributing the renewed crisis to “disagreement between two ethnic groups.”

Police story

The Police spokesperson in the state, David Misal, told newsmen that four people were confirmed killed from both sides of the ethnic groups, adding that security officials had been dispatched to the area to restore peace, but that no arrest had been made.

Investigations revealed that the crisis started on Thursday over a land dispute between nomadic Fulani and Mambilla in Yerimaru village, which spread into neighbouring villages.