Enugwu-Ukwu community in Njikoka Local Government Area of the state has refuted the April 19th publication in Thisday newspaper alleging that people of the community kill and use Albinos for rituals.
The traditional ruler of the community, Igwe Ralph Ekpeh made this known during a meeting he convoked alongside Town Union Executive of the community at his palace in Enugwu-Ukwu.
The publication made on the 19th of April 2021 alleged that people of the community kill Albinos in the community for ritual purposes.
Addressing Chairmen and Secretaries of all the villages in the community, as well as members of Town Union Executive of the community, Igwe Ekpeh traced the origin of the community dating back six to seven hundred years ago, and explained that it was the NRI area in Anambra state that stopped the killing of Albinos and twins, even before the advent of Christianity in this part of the world.
Igwe Ekpeh noted that Albinos are members of his cabinet and Town Union Executives of the community, and that they have never had any reason to stigmatise any Albino in the community because they are the same blood.
He urged members of the public to disregard the publication as it is false and unfounded While reading out the publication to the gathering, the President -General, Enugwu-Ukwu Community Development Union, Comrade Bonny Ozonkwoaku, said they are giving Thisday newspaper three days ultimatum to retract the publication or face legal action from the community.
Comrade Ozonkwoaku explained that Mr. Chukwuezugo Akaigwe, an Albino, is the Financial Secretary of Enugu Community Development Union presently, and a respected member of the community, even as he said that the community has little number of Albinos
A representative of all branches of Enugu Community Development Union from across the country, Mr. Christopher Ugbaonyekwue and the President, Enugwu-ukwu Youth Council, Comrade Kenechukwu Okeke, noted that it was never heard of in the history of the town that someone, including an Albino, was murdered by members of the community, saying that the peddlers of the rumour must come out clean on how they got the information, and warned that those behind the publication should be monitored as they may have plans to endanger the lives of Albinos not just in the community but across the State.
An Albino present at the event, Mr. Okechukwu Nwanizoba, and the Financial Secretary of Enugu Community Development Union, Mr. Akaigwe, who was quoted to have granted interview for the publication, said that they are freeborn and associate freely within their community without fear of molestation from any member of the community.
They added that they are in support of whatever action the community decides to take against the publishers of the news, as they cannot condone any report spoken or written against their highly revered community.
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