Ozubulu Tragedy: Failed Million Dollar Settlement Cause of Attack

CYRIACUS IZUEKWE

Igbo people resident in South Africa have revealed that there were many dimensions to the bloody war between the two brothers, Chief Aloysius Ikegwuonu a.k.a Bishop and his brother, Obrocho that have claimed several lives in both South Africa and their home town at Ozubulu in Anambra State.

Penultimate Sunday, 13 people were killed and several worshippers were wounded following the gun attack at the St Philip Catholic Church, Ozubulu in Ekwusigo Local government Area of Anambra State.

P.M.EXPRESS gathered that when the crises first started, the Igbo people in South Africa under the leadership of Eze Ndigbo, Eze Martin Emechebe and his cabinet members waded into the matter in order to resolve and bring lasting peace between the two brothers on one hand and their groups on the other hand.

An insider who was part of the negotiation said that it was resolved that Bishop will have to pay $1 million as part of final settlement of the rift in the interest of peace which he reportedly accepted and a time frame was fixed for the payment.

However, it was learnt that before the date, Bishop’s camp suffered serious attacks from Obrocho’s camp, and the wife of Ebube Dike in Ozubulu was shot dead by unknown gun with other victims.

It was gathered that the bone of contention that had made the matter more difficult to resolve was the brutal murder of Bishop’s schoolmate at Comprehensive Secondary School, Ozubulu, one Ginika who he made his company’s manager.

It was alleged that Ginika who hailed from Mbaise had disagreement with Bishop and he moved to Obrocho’s camp and joined hand to secure a route which they call park.

However, Ginika was killed by unknown gun men and Bishop was suspected to be behind the murder which he had denied.

It was learnt that after Ginika’s death, the two camp declared war and since have been killing themselves to the extent that the traditional rulers of Ozubulu and Mbaise where Ginika hailed from had intervened in the matter to no avail.

The attack at Ozubulu was said to have been carried out following the information that Bishop travelled and he was billed to commission some roads in the community and attend church for thanksgiving on the Sunday that the church was attacked.

However, he hurriedly left the town due to intelligence report from locals that strange faces were spotted in the community before the attackers struck on Sunday.

Meanwhile, Bishop had denied that it was drug related business that caused the fight but did not state what transpired between him and his brother.

The community, Catholic Church and the police have since commenced investigation over the killing in Ozubulu.

But what remained unresolved was how to ascertain the number of people that have died outside the country as a result of the feud.

When our reporter contacted Eze Ndigbo, South Africa, Eze Emechebe over the matter, he confirmed the rift but declined to make further comments on the matter.