A tragic incident unfolded in Inyi, a community in Igbo-Eze North Local Government Area of Enugu State, where a man named Chikwado Celestine Eze, 26, died during a ritual meant to bring him success overseas.
The native doctor, Enuwa Odugu, who conducted the ritual, claimed that Chikwado’s death occurred because he failed to follow the necessary rules for the ritual.
Eze had recently obtained a visa to travel abroad and sought the help of the native doctor to perform a fortification ritual, which he believed would ensure his success in his new venture overseas.
As part of the ritual, Eze was buried alive for about one and a half hours in a coffin, an act that was supposed to enhance his spiritual protection. However, things took a tragic turn when he could not survive the ritual and died before being taken to the hospital.
The native doctor, who is 48 years old, was arrested by the police alongside Chikwado’s father, Uwakwe Eze, and other accomplices.
According to a statement by the spokesperson for the Enugu State Police Command, Daniel Ndukwe, the case is currently under investigation, and all those involved have been taken into custody. Ndukwe also confirmed that Chikwado’s body was taken to a mortuary, where an autopsy is expected to be conducted.
While speaking from police custody, Odugu defended himself, stating that he had conducted similar rituals in the past without any issues. He insisted that Chikwado’s death was due to his failure to obey specific ritual guidelines, though he did not elaborate on what those rules were.
