Olayomi Koiki
OWERRI, Nigeria – The lifeless body of a naked pregnant woman was discovered near an airport runway in Nigeria’s southeastern Imo State, the country’s aviation authority said on Monday.
The deceased, identified as Mrs Chinwendu Amadi, was found near the runway of the Owerri airport, an area in the heart of the airport, Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) said in a statement signed by the Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, Mrs Obiageli Orah.
“FAAN wishes to state that this unfortunate incident was not perpetrated inside the Owerri Airport,” Orah said.
She further stated that on October 18, a report was made to aviation security officers regarding a group of youths from Awaogwu Logara, a village bordering the airport, who were searching bush paths around the airport for a missing member of their community.
The statement said: “The naked body of a female identified as Mrs Chinwendu Amadi was discovered near the Runway 17 axis bordering the Umueze Community. All security operatives at the airport, including the Airport Commandant and DPO, were instantly alerted by the airport chief of security.
“A team of police officers from the Umuneke Division, Ngor Okpala Local Government area, led by Inspector Vicent N. on an investigation, observed that the deceased sustained several stabs on the abdomen, while also observing that there were no blood splatters or signs of struggle where her body was recovered to indicate that she was murdered at that place.
“The police have since removed her body for further investigation.”
Orah, however, called on the members of the public to assist security operatives in unravelling the killers of the pregnant woman.
“The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria uses this medium to call on anyone who has information that would assist in the unravelling of this unfortunate incident to please contact relevant security agencies for prompt action.
“The perpetrators of this dastardly act must be brought to face the full wrath of the law.”
Police could not be reached for comment.
The spate of femicide in Africa continues to leave a trail of devastation.
Also, Nigeria is presently grappling with a sinister phenomenon that has already claimed countless lives and left families devastated.
Ritual killing, driven by the belief that human body parts can be used for sudden wealth and power to manipulate and control, has become a scary reality in the country. This heinous practice, which is usually glossed over as a folktale until one falls victim, is an affront to human dignity and a blight on our collective conscience.
Some individuals believe that human organs and body parts possess spiritual powers that can bring lasting wealth, success, and protection. This belief is perpetuated by false narratives and superstitions by dishonest individuals.
Recent data suggests that the problem is escalating.
Nigeria is facing its worst economic crisis in decades, with skyrocketing inflation, a national currency in free-fall and millions of people struggling to survive.
Poverty, unemployment, and a lack of education create an environment where desperate individuals are preyed upon by unscrupulous ritualists.