St. Philips Catholic Church, Amakwa Ozubulu

A source familiar with the story told this magazine that while in South Africa their friendship blossomed to a smooth business relationship. About 10 years neck deep in the business world, their friendship went for the rocks over a trade disagreement. The source claimed that Alloys handed a product to Ginika for delivery somewhere. Unfortunately, the goods got lost in transit. While Alloy accused his friend of foul play and demanded full payment for the product, Ginika was said to have suspected a set up. The stage was set for a lethal animosity. All efforts to reconcile the gladiators failed.

It was said that the traditional ruler of Ozubulu land, Igwe even invited the two friends, with their families and mediated unsuccessfully in the matter. The royal father was reported to have pleaded for all to exercise patience till the truth be revealed. The source claimed however, that Bishop rejected Igwe’s verdict and swore that “isi ga ada” (meaning that ‘head must fall’) within some months, if his money is not remitted back to him.

Few months later, the bad news broke out. In September 2015, Ginika Nwoke was shot on a street in South Africa and he died there. At the time of his death, he was married and had a little daughter. This did not go down well with Mbaise people who were said to have vowed a revenge. A source hinted that Mbaise people have made a demand of $300 million from Bishop, as a condition for peace.

ONE OF THE ROADS CONSTRUCTED BY ALOYSIUS

There are other conflicts reported between Bishop and some business associates, though. AFP in a recent study narrated an account of feud between Bishop and one of his kinsmen, a man called Obreche in South Africa. The testimony claimed that Obreche was like a father to Ikegwuonu and he “helped him with his commercial activities in Johannesburg.” Those in the know claimed that Bishop grew fast and later feared competition from his former benefactor and his associates. They claimed that he promptly turned on the man and a war had been brewing between them since 2013.

Another well known story in Ozubulu is an alleged conflict between Bishop and his friend Chinedu Akpononu also based in South Africa. A source claimed that Bishop was buying goods from Chinedu through some of his boys. “He stopped buying and the relationship turned to hostility,” said a source. Such is the amorphous character of the conflict that someone described it as amoebic and that ‘so we cannot say this is where this is coming from.’

The traditional ruler of Ozubulu, Igwe Fidelis Nnamidi Ofuche, admitted that he once mediated in a dispute between Bishop who he described as ‘a very good person’ and some South African based Ozubulu indigenes. He was however quick to add that the dispute they brought to his palace, was communal in nature and never drug business related. “The meeting was a heated one. But, it wasn’t anything except a disagreement between brothers over who occupies the leadership position of Ozubulu Development Union, ODU, in South Africa.”

The Igwe said the matter was referred to him from the President General of ODU, Chief Nobert Anigbogu, who had tried in vain to reconcile the diasporas. “I don’t know of any drug deal as being reported. But I know that about three years ago, ODU in South Africa was having serious leadership tussle. Our children who are living there were having a disagreement over who becomes chairman of the Union. So when they couldn’t resolve the issue among themselves, all of them numbering hundreds returned to the country from South Africa,” explained Igwe Ofuche, whose palace was renovated by Bishop.

SCHOOL ATTENDED BY ALOYSIUS

TheNEWS gathered that as a way of sealing the settlement, it was proposed that the parties should visit a shrine to swear to an oath of a peace covenant. But, some of them disagreed arguing that it was against their Christian faith. “After ensuring peace, we invited the Bishop of the Catholic Church Diocese and a Reverend Father who came and prayed for us. The Blessed Sacrament was used as a covenant oath for everybody. The crowd was over two thousand people. We admonished them to be peaceful and live in harmony,” the Igwe recalled.

Going by consequent events, the peace meeting could not have been more than a charade while the admonition most likely fell on deaf ears. When TheNEWS attempted to speak with Anigbogu in Ozubulu, he was said not to be around. A source told the magazine that the President General had since been in hiding somewhere in Enugu as a price “as been placed on his head by one of the barons.” To the people of Ozubulu, the cathedral murder was one incident too many.

Indeed, the community has seen many unresolved murder cases. One of such happened about a decade ago. In 2007, four young men who were members of a vigilante group were gruesomely murdered by yet to be identified Gunmen. A wine tapper who watched the gory scene high above, from his palm tree, revealed details of the assault. According to his account, the attackers wore camouflages, blindfolded the victims and dragged them into the bush, where they were killed. That was not all. “Their body parts were not complete as we buried them. Their tongues, eyes and even private parts were taken away,” the Igwe recalled.

To Augustine Ugochukwu a cousin of Bishop, those staining the reputation of his brother with the tar of drug baron are like giving dog a bad name in order to make it fit for the slaughter slab. Although Ugochukwu was not certain the nature of his cousin’s business he vehemently denied his association with the criminal underworld. “Bishop is a successful businessman in South Africa. What my brother does is that he picks people who are stranded in South Africa and in this town too, train them in business and he has always settled them.”

Bishop himself also denied the tag of a drug baron insisting that his businesses are legitimate and that those linking him to the church killings are only jealous of his success. “My attention has been drawn to a social media campaign where it is alleged that I am connected to the Ozubulu church killing over a drug problem,” he said in a statement. “For the avoidance of any doubt I wish to inform the general public that I know nothing about the church killings and i have never been involved in drugs.I have never been arrested or convicted anywhere in the world. My businesses are legitimate buinesses, duly registered. Apart from warehousing and wholesale of goods I am also a contractor involved in the construction of roads and infrastructure in Nigeria.” He advised the media against hasty reports and threatened to take legal actions in order to clear his name.

ONE OF THE PROTESTERS

One major take away from Ozubulu to any newcomer is the array of palatial mansions that dot the landscape. By every sense of modesty, Ozubulu has one of the largest concentrations of beautiful houses with their captivating awe designs. But, sadly even though the obscene opulence of some of these palaces would have salivated the taste-bud of the late despot of Zaire, Mobutu Tsese Tseko, they were in the main desolate. Not a few of their illustrious owners had been gunned down in South Africa. They include the owner of Vacarmata (located around Michael Junction, Egbema Ozubulu) Mr Obinna Ebuzeme, Mrs Nchedo (Nkwado’s wife) and many others, especially the alumni of C.S.S. have been killed. With the church killings, those conversant with the records say not less than forty people have been killed in mysterious circumstances.

Monday following the condolence service, youths in Ozubulu organized a non-violent protest against the spate of criminality in their land. The youths under the umbrella of Ozubulu Youths Association, OYA, in their hundreds matched through the community from the Ozubulu motor garage opposite the secretariat down to the palace. They carried placards with inscriptions like “Ozubulu youths say no to killings”; “Police, restore peace in Ozubulu”; “We reject violence” They were escorted by a detachment of policemen rom the Ozubulu police station. President of OYA, Emeka Anakwe said “the youths are concerned about the attack because the entire people of Ozubulu are now living in fear. We cannot sleep comfortably any more because of fear of recurrence.”

A commercial motorcyclist, Joel Ibemere, lamented about the high rate of assassinations in the community. “One thing that spoils this place is the way our people are being killed. Even the owner of this one self (pointing at an edifice) don die. I think they killed him there (South Africa) this year.” He said mournfully.

The police said they have made arrests but since they are conducting their investigations discreetly, they will not horridly let out information on the progress being made, so as not to jeopardize investigations. How quickly will they unravel the various killings? The world is waiting.