Amansea Prince narrowly escapes death after bloody attack in Awka

Prince Ugochukwu Okonkwo, son of the late Amansea traditional ruler, Igwe Kenneth Okonkwo in Awka North Local Government Area, Anambra State was nearly killed after an attack in his residence at Ahocol Estate, Awka by suspected cultists.

In a video leak from his hospital bed which is currently trending online, Prince Ugochukwu Okonkwo alongside his Queen mother, Stella Okonkwo alleged that cultists hired by Hon. Boniface Okonkwo and son attacked them brutally particularly Prince Ugo,  the Amansea heir apparent with intentions to kill him.

Prince Ugochukwu sustained deep wounds on his head and all over his body.

According to their lawyer, Barr. Katchy Bielu who was contacted after watching the video clip, the attack could be in connection to the quest for the traditional stool left vacant by the departed traditional ruler, Late Igwe Kenneth Okonkwo and father to Prince Ugochukwu Okonkwo.

Narrating his ordeal in the video, Prince Ugochukwu accused three times former lawmaker in the Anambra state House of Assembly, Boniface Okonkwo and his son, a Malaysia returnee Chisom Okonkwo of leading the attack that nearly cost him his life.

According to him, “I was in an occasion at Amansea when an unknown person called me on phone that there are invaders in my home and who are vandalizing property there.  I told my mother, the Queen who I was with at the occasion and we left for the estate to ascertain what was happening there.

“On getting to our apartment, we saw Hon. Boniface Okonkwo and his son, Chisom Okonkwo. When I tried to ask the reason for their actions, his son, Chisom flared up shouting that he will show me that he is the leader of Ayes cult in Anambra state”, he said.

Our reporter was informed that the group was made up of boys numbering above twenty (20) all dressed in blacks. They brandished weapons in the form of axe, guns and cutlasses which Ugochukwu claimed they used on him.

According to Ugochukwu, “they unleashed the axe and the cutlass on me, stabbing my back and head as I made to flee from them. I sustained very severe injury and as my mother hurriedly wanted to take me to the hospital with her car on seeing that I was losing blood profusely, they attacked the car, smashing the windscreen and others.

Also speaking, Ugochukwu’s mother and the Queen of Amansea kingdom, Mrs. Stella Okonkwo informed that Hon. Boniface Okonkwo, her late husband’s brother accused her of witchcraft and that she killed her husband with witchcraft, hence he has been tormenting her and her children.

According to her, he accused me of being responsible for my husband’s death and told my family to vacate the palace for him alive or in death.  He hit me repeatedly until people started shouting. I did not do anything to Boniface. He only wants to be the Igwe Amansea.

“He told us that he has money and would deal with us. He said he will kill us and nobody will challenge him in Anambra state,” she alleged.

But, reacting to the incident when contacted, Hon. Boniface Okonkwo denied the allegation that he carried out any attack on Prince Ugochukwu and Mrs. Stella Okonkwo, wife of his late brother. But he rather alleged that it was his son, Chisom that was attacked when he went to renovate his house, having come down from overseas where he had his Masters.

“My son who came down from overseas where he went for his Masters Degree Program was in my house with just a laborer to renovate it when those people attacked him. Those people who complained to you attacked him,” he said.

Boniface said he had a cordial relationship with the late Igwe Kenneth Okonkwo who he described as a brother.

When contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer, Tochukwu Ikenga said the police is investigating the matter and will provide details later.

Ikenga said further: “It is a family fight that borders on the matter of sharing of property; the case was reported yesterday at ‘B’ Divisional Police headquarters in Awka.

“Meanwhile the case has been transferred to state CID for further investigation”’ the PPRO said.

This medium notes that the late traditional ruler of Amansea married two wives which investigations revealed is at the root of the entire crisis on who becomes the next Igwe. Prince Ugochukwu is the first son whereas it is alleged that the second wife is supporting Igwe’s brother to take over as next Igwe.

Already, investigation revealed that top police officers and some community leaders are being requested to soften the case to avoid looking like case of cultism in regards to Governor Willie Obiano’s tall order against cultism days ago.

Barr. Katchy Bielu is asking the Anambra State Governor, Willie Obiano and the Commissioner of Police, Anambra State, CP Monday Bala Kuryas to ensure the case is not swept under the carpet as the late Igwe’s first wife and children have suffered untold hardship, humiliation and intimidation from Hon. Okonkwo since the demise of the traditional ruler of Amansea kingdom, noting that they were locked up in Abuja few two weeks without any  known offense other than to surrender the key to the late Igwe’s fuel station.

Photo: The Prince of Amansea Kingdom, Prince Ugochukwu Okonkwo after the attack in Awka.

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