Two Persons Dead In Nsukka As Oriokpa Masquerades Allegedly Cause Chaos
The incidents have reignited concerns over the unchecked aggression associated with the traditional performers.
Nsukka town in Enugu State has been restive since Tuesday after two individuals reportedly fell victim to separate violent encounters with the notorious Oriokpa masquerades.
The incidents have reignited concerns over the unchecked aggression associated with the traditional performers.
SaharaReporters had reported on September 19, that hundreds of women from Eha-Alumona, a community in Nsukka Local Government Area of Enugu State, took to the streets to protest against the constant attacks and harassment by masquerades in their community.
According to the women, they are fed up with the boys behind the masks, who seem to have forgotten that they were born of women and are now targeting their own mothers, sisters, and daughters.
The Tuesday’s incident which occurred separately in Aku Road, Obechara and Nru Junction is coming barely one week after the women protests, calling on government and authorities to intervene and address the situation.
SaharaReporters gathered on Wednesday that the incident in Aku Road, Obechara area involved a middle-aged woman, who was fatally struck by an oncoming truck while fleeing from an Oriokpa masquerade.
Witnesses described the scene as chaotic, leaving residents shaken.
While at Nru Junction, the incident involved a male student from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), who lost his life under unclear circumstances, sparking widespread alarm.
The Oriokpa masquerades’ violent behaviour has long been a concern.
It should be recalled that in April 2024, a viral video surfaced showing the brutal flogging of a nurse on her way to work by the same Oriokpa masquerades. The incident, which took place on April 28 in Obechara, Nsukka Local Government Area, shocked many as the woman was mercilessly beaten and thrown into a roadside drainage while begging for mercy.
The viral video sparked national outrage, with human rights groups, women’s organisations, and concerned citizens condemning the masquerades’ violent behavior and demanding justice. Despite the public outcry and calls for action, the Oriokpa masquerades’ brutal tendencies have continued unchecked.
Although, the Enugu State Police Command has yet to issue an official statement on the incidents, SaharaReporters’ efforts to speak with the Command’s spokesman DSP Daniel Ndukwe were unsuccessful as he did not take his calls.
Meanwhile, police sources told SaharaReporters that investigations into the incident had since been launched to bring those responsible to justice.
