By Nicholas Ebegboni
The Ihiekonye family of Abavo, Delta State, is making an urgent appeal for justice and a renewed investigation into a series of traumatic events that have upended their lives, culminating in the forced displacement of their son, Ihiekonye Ezekiel Onyeka.
The family’s plea follows a devastating sequence of loss, unfounded accusations, and a brutal act of violence that compelled Ezekiel to flee his ancestral home.
The ordeal began with the tragic deaths of Ezekiel’s two cousins, Ewere Ihiekonye and Fidelis Ihiekonye, along with his best friend and business partner, Oyinye Okoh, whom he considered a brother. All three were victims of Boko Haram’s ongoing insecurity on April 10, 2022.
Ezekiel, who had employed his cousins on his poultry farm in Garga, Kanam Local government, Plateau State. was met not with sympathy but with hostility upon the news of their passing.
The mother of the deceased, consumed by grief, turned her anguish into a campaign of threats and harassment against Ezekiel and his immediate family.
This aggression stemmed from her long-standing disapproval of her sons working in the North.
The severity of the harassment necessitated the involvement of the Abavo Police Station, where Ezekiel’s father, Ihiekonye Celestine, lodged a formal complaint on June 28, 2022.
The situation escalated dramatically when Ezekiel returned to Abavo for his cousins’ funerals, a few weeks, prior the solemn occasion, he was abducted.
During his captivity, Ezekiel was subjected to a brutal machete attack, sustaining severe injuries.
His parents were then forced to pay a substantial ransom for his release. Following his freedom, Ezekiel was issued a chilling directive: he was “never to be seen in that village” again.
This direct threat left him with no option but to abandon his home and community, effectively severing his ties to Abavo.
“Our family has endured unimaginable pain,” stated Ihiekonye Celestine. “We lost two nephews to terrorism, and then our son was attacked and driven from his home because of baseless accusations and a vengeful act. We seek justice for Ezekiel and a safe path for him to return without fear.”
The Ihiekonye family urges the relevant authorities to re-examine this case with the urgency and diligence it demands.
They call upon law enforcement to ensure accountability for those responsible for Ezekiel’s kidnapping and assault, and to create an environment where he can safely return to his community without fear of reprisal.
