Protests Erupt in Woji as Missing Landlord’s Body Found
The Woji area of Rivers State witnessed turmoil on Monday night when protesting youths clashed with police over the discovery of a missing landlord’s body in an uncompleted building. Identified as Nyebuchi Eke, the landlord was allegedly found dead days after his disappearance while in police custody.
Protesters hurled stones and broken bottles at police officers, setting fire to the streets in outrage. The deceased landlord was reportedly arrested following a dispute with a tenant who claimed the landlord had thrown his belongings outside.
Despite the intervention of the Woji Council of Chiefs, the whereabouts of Nyebuchi remained unknown until Monday when his body was recovered from an uncompleted building in Chokocho, Etche Local Government Area. The discovery reignited protests as angry youths blocked roads and clashed with the police.
Solomon Eke, the deceased’s elder brother, urged the police to transfer the body to a government-approved mortuary for proper preservation. He appealed for peace, discouraging the community from taking the law into their own hands.
Police spokesperson Grace Iringe-Koko confirmed the incident, stating that the Commissioner of Police had visited the deceased’s family. Iringe-Koko disclosed that the suspect and three policemen linked to the incident had been arrested and were under investigation at the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department.