Anambra State government has declared Mr Ifechukwu Nweke, who killed a 71-year-old man, Mr Shedrack Okoye on 25th of December, 2023 during masquerading at Umuawulu community in Awka South Local Government Area wanted
The State Commissioner for Culture, Entertainment and Tourism, comrade Don Onyenji stated this while reacting to the incident in his office at the Jerome Udorji Secretariat, Awka, on Tuesday.
Nigerian Tribune gathered that last week, the social media was flooded with the story of the late Mr Okoye of Okpala-Nduka kindred of Enugu quarters Umuawulu, killed by Mr Okeke, a 19-year-old man from Unuenu quarters, Umuawulu during masquerading.
The family of the deceased who is demanding for justice as they claimed that the Umuawulu community is not doing anything serious to get the culprit to face the law.
Reacting to the development, the Commissioner, said that the act is against the state’s law on masquerading enacted in 2022 which specified that communities using masquerades as a form of entertainment, during festivals or festivities should have an arena where people seeking such fun should go and enjoy themselves.
According to him, the state’s law stipulates that on no account should a masquerade or masquerades obstruct people’s movement or block a community’s road or cause any problem in a community as he said that masquerading as a culture is all about fun and entertainment.
He said that it is against the law for the particular masquerade to stop people going on their way, talk less of killing someone.
While sympathizing with the deceased’s family, Onyenji urged them not to take laws into their hands but cooperate with the community through the traditional ruler whom he said has been making plans to give the dead a befitting burial.
