Over 30 unidentified bodies, missing private parts found along Imo river in Abia

More than 30 unidentified bodies believed to be victims of ritual killings have been discovered along the Imo River in the Oriendu autonomous community of Umuahia North, Abia State.

HRH Eze Philip Ajomiwe, the community’s traditional ruler, revealed the grim details during an interview with LEADERSHIP Sunday at his palace, following the discovery of a woman’s body. He explained that the bodies, including the recent one, were either found completely naked and missing their private parts or enclosed in a bag. In addition, there have been reports of two decomposing bodies found near the NNPC pipeline.

The monarch expressed concern over the lack of arrests by security agents, warning that the situation is escalating and creating widespread fear throughout the community. He noted that even the local vigilante group has been unsuccessful in apprehending the suspects, largely due to their inadequate equipment compared to the heavily armed perpetrators.

Ajomiwe urged the state government to equip the vigilante group with the necessary logistics and resources to counter the suspects effectively. He stressed that undertaking such dangerous operations without proper tools is unwise, especially when facing adversaries armed with sophisticated weapons and prepared to retaliate.

Furthermore, he mentioned that his repeated complaints to security agents had produced no tangible results—the latest being a letter he sent to the Speaker of the State House of Assembly on February 7.

Although he appreciated the government’s recent upward revision of traditional rulers’ monthly stipends, he argued that the amount is insufficient to combat the severe insecurity. He concluded by emphasizing that, unlike the governor who has security votes to support local initiatives, traditional rulers lack such funding and therefore depend on direct government intervention to restore peace and security in their communities.