The Anambra State Police Command has arrested one Onyedika Nnofu, who allegedly killed and burnt his elder brother, Mmaduabuchi Nnofu, 47, in Ekwulobia, Aguata Local Government Area of Anambra State.
Aderemi Adeoye, Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of Operations, confirmed this to the News Agency of Nigeria.
NAN reports that Mmaduabuchi, who was also the Chairman of the Joint National Association of Persons with Disability in Aguata, was killed and burnt in his home on January 30.
Adeoye, who spoke with the NAN on Tuesday in Awka, said the suspect had been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department for further Investigations after which he would be charged to court.
He said the Police visited the scene following a complaint and ascertained that the murder case was true, adding that the suspect acquiesced to committing the crime.
According to him, immediately the complaint was lodged, the police visited the scene and confirmed the incident.
Adeoye said: “The suspect was arrested and transferred to the SCID for further investigation.
“The investigation in this case is to gather enough evidence that would enable prosecution of the suspect in court.”
The Anambra chapter of JONAPWD had petitioned the Police, calling for investigation of the matter.
The petition was signed by Ugochukwu Okeke, Ifeanyi Igwegbe and Peter Muoneke, JONAPWD’s Chairman, Publicity Secretary and Legal Adviser respectively in Anambra state.
According to the association, Nnofu was at home relaxing when the suspect came in with weapons and killed him before setting him ablaze in the compound.
The statement said: “We suspected that he was murdered over a family land which had been duly assigned to him by their late father.
“JONAPWD believed that this evil act was perpetrated on our member because he was blind and helpless.
“Mmaduabuchi Nnofu was killed because his sibling saw him as nobody or disabled especially because he was blind and unmarried.
“This negates his rights as human as upheld by the United Nations Charter; Article 15 and section 21(1b) of the Anambra State Disability Rights Law (2018), and Sections 33 and 43 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended).
“Therefore, we are demanding justice for late Mmaduabuchi Nnofu. Justice is necessary to prevent a repeat of this inhumanity to man on our members or any other person anywhere in Nigeria.”
JONAPWD urged the Nigerian Police to arrest the suspect, investigate the matter and charge those involved to court.
It also called on the Anambra State Government, international community, Civil Society Organisations and other relevant bodies to intervene and ensure justice for the deceased.
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