A young man’s refusal to be a chief priest of his community has allegedly resulted in the killing of his younger sister.

There are suspicions that his mother was also shot and killed last year because of his stance.

Residents of a quiet Urhonigbe community near Benin City, Edo State, were jolted on Thursday morning by a large bang in one of the homes of the community. As a speeding car left the scene of the gunshot, a lifeless female body laid on floor in a pool of blood.

The unknown assailants were said to have gunned down 17-year-old Kate Omeka John after she refused to disclose the whereabouts of her elder brother, Oseghae Omeka John, whom the gunmen were suspected to have come to kill.

Another brother, Austin John, escaped through the back door on sighting the gunmen, and his whereabouts remained unknown as at the time of writing this report.

A distant relative of the John family narrated, with heavy eyes, toNews Expressthe complicated events that led to the unfortunate killing of Kate. He alleged that quarrels over the succession to the throne of native priest in the community led to the unfortunate incident.

“There has been some real silent war going on for some time surrounding the Omeka family since the father of the house Omenka John, who was also chief priest of this community, passed on early last year.

“His first son Oseghae John, who according to the tradition here was supposed to have succeeded his father as chief priest, refused to claim the throne citing his born-again Christian belief as the reason why he wouldn't want to get involved in what he believed to be a fetish and evil throne.

“Angered by Oseghae’s intransigence, the community elders had to look for another priest. But there was a problem. The tradition states clearly that while the eldest son of a dead priest was still alive, there could not be another one.

“This caused some youths of the community to renew sustained pressure and threats on Oseghae. They called several times and threatened to kill if he does not take to the throne. They feared his stance was causing the community bad luck,” he said.

A neighbour of the deceased girl said that the assailants numbering about four came just after 5am in the morning.

He also said: “I saw Austin (the second son) scaling the fence and he ran towards a corner at the end of the street. The gunmen got into their house and I heard them screaming like mad men and asking Kate ‘where is your brother? Where is Oseghae call him. Give us his number?’ The poor girl was terrified and was shouting ‘I don’t know where he is.”

The next thing the neighbor heard was a bang and the assailants hurriedly fled to the bush.

“I’m so shocked and surprised. Why did they kill her, when it is her brother they had come for?

News Expressalso learnt that in April last year, the mother of the deceased was shot and killed as she was returning from market in what was thought to be a case of armed robbery. She was said to have been a strong supporter of her son’s refusal to become the community Chief priest.

“We the members of the family now believe that both deaths are linked. This seems a systematic elimination of the family” the relative lamented.

News Expresswas told that it’s a question the police are currently investigating.

News Expressinvestigations reveal that Oseghae has fled out of the country. His younger Austin is still at large.

•Photo shows the murdered Kate Omeka John.