Elizabeth Igwe, the mother of two suspects arrested in connection with the killing of Silas Onyima, the President-General of Umuoji community in Anambra State, has called for a fresh investigation into the murder. Onyima was tragically killed in February 2024 when unidentified hoodlums invaded his residence. Following the incident, several suspects were apprehended and detained by the police.
Addressing journalists in Onitsha, Elizabeth Igwe appealed to the Governor of Anambra State, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, and his Ebonyi State counterpart, Francis Nwifuru, to intervene in the case and ensure that justice is served. Igwe firmly believes that her two children, Okey and Makua Igwe, who are currently incarcerated at the Onitsha Correctional Centre, are innocent and not responsible for the crime.
During her address, Igwe explained that she was not present at the time of the incident as she had traveled to Ebonyi State to care for her ailing mother. However, she recently met with her children at the correctional center to inquire about the events surrounding Onyima’s murder. According to Igwe, both Okey and Makua denied any involvement in the crime, expressing shock and disbelief at the accusations leveled against them.
Seeking justice for her sons, Igwe urged the Inspector-General of Police to collaborate with other security agencies and conduct a thorough investigation into the killing of the president-general. She firmly believes that the individuals responsible for the murder have not been apprehended, despite the arrests made by the police.
Igwe recounted her son’s account of the events leading up to the murder. According to Makua, on the day of the incident, he and the late President-General washed two cars together. During this time, Onyima received a call inviting him to a funeral in the town, to which he affirmed his attendance. Makua later went to play football while Onyima drove to the funeral. However, Makua and his siblings noticed that Onyima’s vehicle returned to their neighborhood at high speed, veering into the compound of Onyima’s elder brother, Chief Festus Onyima. Makua mentioned that they found this behavior unusual but continued with their football game.
Later that night, Makua claimed that someone knocked on their door. He informed his sister, who told him to open the door. To their surprise, it was the late President-General’s Personal Assistant (PA) standing outside with a bag belonging to Onyima. The PA allegedly instructed Makua to deliver the bag to Festus Onyima without mentioning his name. Makua questioned how the PA managed to enter the compound since the gate was locked, to which the PA responded with a threat and gave Makua N10,000 to ensure the bag reached its intended recipient.
The following morning, Makua discovered that Chief Onyima had been killed in his bedroom. Igwe emphasized that there was no blood in the room, challenging the narrative that the murder occurred in the bedroom. Upon hearing the news of Onyima’s death, Igwe’s children returned to the
