Otokoto: 24 years after

 

In September 1996 Owerri the IMO State, Nigeria, Capital was lit up with protests. It was in the dark days of the Abacha regime.

There was hunger and there was anger, yet some people were living large out of no one knows what. Children were missing. Rumours were flying. Cult

activities were on the increase.

Then it happened. An 11 year old groundnut seller was lured to the premises of Otokoto hotels in Owerri. There he was drugged and decapitated

His head was on an onward journey to the home of a ritualist when the Okada man who ferried the conveyer of the head went and spilled the beans to the Police.

The local TV station gave Filip to the story by broadcasting it and all hell was let loose in Owerri. Properties were burnt and people lynched.

The Military Administrator swung into action and a commission of inquiry was set up and culprits taken to Court.

An interesting twist to the tale was murder of the head hunter in Police Cell. Luckily for Justice, the man had confessed and taken the Police to the murder scene before his death in the cell.

Thus, the suspects were rounded up and sentenced to death by hanging but not before a lot of time wasting and theatrics.

The lesson is that like they say ' everyday for the thief and one day for the owner of the house'.