The corpse of 70-year-old Mr. Gilbert Nwaocha of Abor-Ani village, Awgbu, Orumba North Local Government Area of Anambra State, who was allegedly abducted from his farm on October 17, 2018 has been found lying dead on his farm by members of his family.

Information gathered by News Express has it that late Nwaocha was on the farm with his wife, Mrs. Esther Nwaocha, when he was waylaid by five men who beat him before abducting him.

Narrating the story, Mrs. Nwaocha said that on the incident day, she went to the farm with her husband to harvest their crops but she decided to focus on one side, leaving her late husband to take care of another section.

She said that while they were busy working, five able-bodied young men emerged from the bush wielding guns and attacked her husband.

The widow of late Nwaocha said she was able to escape unharmed because she was out of the sight of suspected abductors.

Mrs. Nwaocha said that she watched helplessly from her safe position as the young men beat up her husband before abducting him.

It was learnt that the abduction of the deceased was a result of a protracted land tussle between Abor-Ani in Awgbu, and Aronato in Ndikelionwu, both in Orumba North LGA.

Reports have it that on October, 24, 2018, at the maternal home of Mrs. Nwaocha, the former President General of Awgbu Community, Chief Patrick Ezeanaka, reached out to the monarch of Ndikelionwu when the news of the abduction of Nwaocha and a 14-year-old first broke.

According to the former PG, he immediately called the President General of Ndikelionwu Community to see if the abducted man could be released but got no answer to his calls, even as he claimed that at a point, the Ndikelionwu monarch stopped picking his calls.

He explained that after the abduction of Gilbert, the community had reported the case to Awgbu Police Station adding that they also reported to the police when they found the lifeless body of the deceased.

Ezeanaka also said that the fourteen-year-old boy was later found at the Police Station, claiming that it was part of the plan by Ndikelionwu Community to deny the kidnap.

The traditional ruler of Awgbu Community, H.R.H. Mike C. Okechukwu, on his part, said that they had searched for the abducted man in all the police stations in Anambra State to no avail.

Igwe Okechukwu, who was visibly angry and bitter, regretted the amount of yams, cassava, potatoes and other farm produce worth millions of naira that the community had lost in the course of the land dispute.

He maintained that the dispute started following the encroachment of their land by Aronta Village in Ndikelionwu Community saying that all efforts to put a halt to the crisis and restore peace between the two communities had failed.

While suing for peace between the two communities, the monarch said he had been trying his best to wedge the angry youths of Awgbu from retaliating, and hoped that the Police would bring the matter to a satisfactory conclusion.

One of the villagers, Mr. Felix Abili, described the deceased as a peaceful and loving man who during his life time served God with all diligence and sincerity of heart.

When the traditional ruler of Ndikelionwu, Igwe Chukwuemeka Ike was contacted, he said he was not in a conducive place to talk on the matter saying that all manner of things were being said on the issue.

He, however, suggested a later date for a meeting with our correspondent.

Reacting to the incident, the state Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), SP Haruna Mohammed, denied knowledge of the demise of Nwaocha or the land dispute.

He called on the aggrieved community to report the matter to the police for investigation.