The family of Chief Michael Ugwu from Umuiba Nduno-Obuoffia, a community in Awkunanaw, Nkanu West local government area of Enugu State, is grappling with grief following the tragic assassination of their son and the community’s President General, Mr. Osita Ugwu.
Osita, 49, who ran a local business selling and distributing various beverages, was shot dead on April 1, 2025, in front of his shop, located just a short distance from his home in the same community.
When SaharaReporters visited the Ugwu family on April 8, mourners were still gathering to offer their condolences.
Osita’s elderly father, who is ill, and his wife, Mrs. Ebere Ugwu, along with their two young children—aged 12 and 8—sat solemnly outside their house.
Describing her husband as a devoted and caring father, Mrs. Ugwu expressed shock and deep sorrow over his brutal murder.
She questioned the motive behind the killing, emphasizing that her husband was a peaceful man who had refused to run for re-election as the President General, despite his eligibility.
“My husband was not a troublemaker. He was a man of the people, which was why the entire community elected him to be their president-general. He was not vying for or re-contesting the position despite the constitution allowing him to go for a second term. He refused to present himself for the position again. Why would anyone kill him?” she said.
Mrs. Ugwu also revealed a disturbing premonition she had before the incident.
She had dreamt that her eldest son, who was away at school, had a bleeding face. Despite seeking divine intervention through prayer and fasting, the tragedy still unfolded.
“I called my son in school after the dream, but he told me that he was fine. I know that they just used my son’s face to show me the calamity. I equally informed my late husband about the dream, and we fasted together. I didn’t know it was my husband’s murder that I was shown,” she shared.
She recounted the tragic morning of Osita’s death. “He woke up early to buy palm wine and returned to his shop around 8 a.m. I asked him to take me to my shop, which is nearby, but before he could finish locking up, I decided to take an Okada ride and left without him. Not long after, I received a call from a relative telling me my husband was dead. I rushed back to his shop and found his lifeless body lying in the gutter.”
Eyewitnesses reported that Osita’s killers arrived in a red Toyota Camry without a license plate.
They pretended to inquire about purchasing drinks, before opening fire on him.
“My husband usually woke up around 5:30 a.m. every morning. He usually woke up early to go to various communities to buy the palm wine we sold. On that fateful day, he woke up around 6 a.m. He didn’t tell me where he was going, but when I came out, we didn’t see his motorcycle. I felt he had gone to purchase palm wine,” she recalled.
“Later, I called him, and he had returned to his shop. I asked him to come and take me to my own shop, which is not too far from his. He agreed, but before he could finish locking up, I had already gotten an Okada rider. I called him to let him know, and he told me to follow the Okada man. Shortly after, I got to my shop, and then I received the call. I ran to a family relation to confirm, and when I rushed to his shop, I found his body lying in the gutter,” she added.
Mrs. Ugwu detailed the method of the attack, explaining that the assailants had pretended to be customers before opening fire on Osita.
“The attackers came in a red Toyota Camry without a plate number. They called my husband as if they were going to buy drinks. They circled the block, then returned and shot him dead.”
The family is now pleading with the government and law enforcement agencies to bring the killers to justice.
“I beg the government of Enugu State and security agencies—police, DSS, and other intelligence agencies—to come to our aid and fish out all those involved in the killing of my husband,” Mrs. Ugwu pleaded.
Osita’s father, Michael Ugwu, who is undergoing medical treatment in Edo State, has also called for justice.
“I am still recovering from illness, but I feel the pain of losing my son. I am calling for justice for Osita,” he said.
This tragic incident is part of a worrying trend in the area.
In June 2024, Ifeanyi Kingsley Arum, a Neighbourhood Watch operative, was also murdered while on duty. His killers remain at large.
Both cases have been reported to the police and are under investigation by the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID).
However, both the state government and the police have yet to comment publicly on the incidents.
