Ebonyi Widow Decries Threats, Ostracism, Appeals To Nwifuru, Nigeria Police For Help

By Alex Odeh, Pan Afric Reporters

A widow, Mrs Njideka Ngwuta from Nsokkara Community in Ezza South LGA has called on the Nigerian Police force, wife of the Ebonyi State Governor Mrs Uzoamaka Nwifuru and other relevant authorities to come to her rescue following plans by notable personality in her kindred to grab her late husband’s land and confiscate other estates belonging to Family.

Mrs Njideka made the call at Ministry of Women Affairs Centenary city immediately after the submission of a petition titled Urgent Petition Against Extreme Harassment, Ostracization, And Attempted Forcible Eviction by The Leadership and Members Of The Achaukwu Development Union Women Wing

The widow alleged that members of Umunaza Kindred united against her because she was married from AchinaAguata LGA of Anambra State and had no one to speak on her behalf, hence all male children of her husband’s family had died of strange diseases.

I am originally from Achina, Aguata LGA of Anambra State but was married into the Ngwuta Anyigor family of Acharaukwu Nsokkara in Ezza South LGA about 27 years ago. The union is blessed with three children. Tragically, my husband is deceased, so are his brothers, parents, and other prominent male relatives. Since the demise of my husband and his male relatives ,no body represents the family at kindred level that is why we have been maltreated”

“I have been subjected to relentless torment by certain members of our kindred, Umunaza Kindred of Acharaukwu Nsokkara who are hell-bent on dispossessing my family of the lands belonging to us.
My late husband had 2 brothers who got married and had children before the 3 brothers incidentally died under suspicious circumstances, leaving me and my co-wives as young widows with our young children behind. My parents in-law are also sadly deceased and so the entire Ngwuta Anyigor family was left in the hands of widows and young children. Before my mother-in law died in 2016, my co-wives and their children had left the village owing to numerous spiritual attacks and unexplainable deaths in the family, leaving only my mother in-law, myself and my 3 children behind”

“I had wanted to run away with my children from the village but I could not leave my mother in-law alone as she was old and needed care. I stayed behind and took care of her until she died and was buried. After her death, I realized that leaving the village with my children would mean that everyone in the family had run away and that would lead the family name, compound and legacy into extinction. I stayed back with my children, farmed on our lands and used the proceeds to train my children in school. As a result of my stay in the village, some of my husbands nephews and nieces have returned and now live with me in the family compound”

Mrs Njideka however, informed that ever since she lost her husband and decided to stay back with her children the husbands nephews and nieces and some members of her late husbands Kindred, Umunaza have been trying to forcefully take over her husband’s Estates and family lands and solely to frustrate them out of the family compound.

She expressed surprise that those at the forefront of the land-grabbing were close to her husband while he was alive, noting that life was no longer the same since the battle to take over her husband’s family estate began.

“Despite my vulnerability as a widow without adult male backing in the family, I have consistently resisted these land-grabbing attempts. At the forefront of this oppression are some very close family members of my late husband, who share the same kindred with my late husband . When they attempted to forcefully take over my lands, I stood my ground, and the entire Acharaukwu community intervened, looked into the matter, and rightfully decided in my favor”

Mrs. Ngwuta said “following their defeat regarding the lands, these people have resorted to character assassination and blackmail. Sometime in 2024, 2 young girls from the same Acharaukwu Nsokkara came to my house around 9pm and begged me to agree that I had sold some cassava to them. I immediately suspected that I was being set up by the same people who had been trying to take me out of my family and I quickly refused and asked them to leave my house. Owing to my fear of being set up on more unsuspecting events, I made a conscious decision to stop attending public events or gatherings held at private residences”

This union conducts its meetings in each village from time to time while the Annual General Meeting is held in August of every year. My own village is Effium, Acharaukwu Nsokkara and the meeting is usually held at the Effium Playground. It is also worthy of note that as of 2024, I was the Secretary of the Effium Unit of the Union.

Surprisingly, about 3 years ago, the then Chairlady of Effium Unit of ADU Women Wing relocated the meetings from the public playground where such meetings were always traditionally held, directly to the compound of one of my Late husbands relatives, Understanding the clear danger this posed to my safety and liberty, I protested and formally informed the association that I would not attend any meeting in anyones compound. I expressed my legitimate fear of being set up and subjected to jungle justice for crimes I did not commit”

“Rather than understanding my plight as a fellow woman and a widow, the ADU Women Wing leadership became infuriated. They went as far as reporting me to the Catholic Church where I worship. In an attempt to make peace, the Catholic Women Organization (CWO) of my church mandated me to apologize to the ADU women”

“In obedience to the CWO, I went with some members of the church to see the ADU women at Dr. Kelvin Nwankwos compound but we were turned down at the gate, and Dr. Kelvin Nwankwo specifically warned that they should not enter into his compound.
I went back with the other church members, informed the CWO and the Priest of the church and have since then maintained my resolution not to attend such meeting in anyones compound”

“They forcefully handed me a match box indicating that I had been ostracized from the community. Furthermore, they passed the following draconian and illegal edicts against me:
I have been completely banned from fetching water from any of the community streams or boreholes.
I have been forbidden from interacting or associating with anyone in the community. I have been banned from entering the markets to buy or sell anything”

“They explicitly threatened that I would be killed if I dare disobey their orders.It is abundantly clear that this women’s group is being sponsored and weaponized by some people in Acharaukwu Nsokkara whose aim is to frustrate, humiliate, and terrorize me into abandoning my late husband’s home so they can finally take over my familys land”

At the moment , my life and the lives of my children are in grave danger. My three children, my husbands nephews and nieces have fled our home for fear of being murdered. I am currently living as a fugitive, sleeping in neighboring communities because it is no longer safe for me to sleep in my own marital home.

Mrs Ngwuta further alleged that one of her neighbours, Miss Rebecca Aleke who visited her compound after the ADU Women marched into their home and announced the ostracization, was later tortured and almost beaten to death for associating with her adding such action had left her traumatized and afraid of what may come next.

She maintained that as a result of these issues, she is calling on Her Excellency wife of the Governor of Ebonyi State, Mrs Uzoamaka Nwifuru as her last resort to secure her life and home.

I also want Her Excellency to use her good office to promptly summon the leadership of the ADU Women Wing, Acharaukwu Nsokkara, to explain their justification for ostracizing a widow like her, denying her access to basic amenities, and issuing death threats against her.

When contacted President of the ADU women Wing Mrs Leticia Ngele and Mrs Eucheria Nwandende, all agreed to have Ostracized Mrs Njideka Ngwuta and handed her over a box of matches as a proof that she has been excommunicated by the entire community.

They alleged that Njideka has always been at the forefront of carrying out barbaric act against other women who went contrary to the decisions of the women in the community.

Mrs Njideka has been the secretary of the women group and always at the forefront of those Ostracization action against other women, she is protesting because it’s now her turn”

In their remarks the traditional ruler of Nsokkara Autonomous community, HRH Eze Ifesinachi Okonkwo and a major stakeholder from the Community chief Celestine Ekechi condemned the action of the women group noting such barbaric act was never part of their culture.

Eze Ifesinachi agreed to have been aware of the case but all efforts to resolve it proved abortive as the letter of summons sent to the perpetrators and stakeholders of Acharaukwu Nsokkara was turned down.

He added that he was also aware that the victim was coming to report the case to the Ministry of Women Affairs to stop them from taking further action against the widow.