Umuaku Isuochi in Umunneochi LGA of Abia State was on Saturday morning, thrown into confusion following attempts by kidnappers to abduct passengers in the community.
The ugly incident happened the same day the body of late gospel singer, Osinachi Nwachukwu was brought home for burial at her father’s compound.
During the attack, an unidentified man riding in a black Jeep was allegedly kidnapped and taken into the bush by some armed men.
The victim was said to have been whisked away from his SUV by the bandits while his car was abandoned along the road.
But another account claimed that the owner of the vehicle abandoned it and escaped, on hearing the sound of gunshots by the bandits.
The situation caused tension along the road and the entire villages of Umuaku as commercial buses and private vehicle owners suspended their journeys for about two hours while many passengers alighted from the vehicles conveying them, in fear.
The development nearly marred the inspirational singer’s burial as some mourners who came from outside and within Abia for the burial, left the community immediately after her body was laid to rest , to avoid going by evening.
Others who were still on their way coming, either returned waited for the coast to clear before continuing the journey while a few others cancelled their journey entirely.
“It looked like they sensed today’s burial would attract many rich people from all parts of the country and they chose today to execute their heinous crime .This is sacrilegious”, an Umuaku villager said, in condemnations.
But when contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer, (PPRO) of Abia State Police Command, Geoffrey Ogbonna said his office was not aware of the incident yet as such had not been reported to it from Umunneochi division.
Ogbonna said, “Am not aware. Has it been reported to the Police there? If it has been reported, my office would know about it.”
Meanwhile, the body of the late gospel singer was laid to rest in her father’s compound at Umuaku Isuochi, Umunneochi LGA of Abia State.
The burial was conducted by Pastor Ipila Solomon, South East regional pastor of Dunamis international Church, who in his message, reminded Christians that everyone would give a good account of his or her deeds on earth after death.
It was also a sorrowful scenario as the mother of the late singer, Mrs Carolina Madu and late Osinachi’s twin sister Amarachi Eze and members of the community broke down in tears, while demanding for justice to the Ekwueme singer.
