An Anambra man, Mr Olisa Igbonwa, from Alor, Idemili South Local Government Area, Anambra State, who was rumoured to have been buried alive has resurfaced at the police headquarters in Awka.

Igbonwa, a kinsman of the Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr. Chris Ngige, on Wednesday, visited the Anambra State Police Command, Awka and declared that he was alive and not buried alive by his kinsmen as reported.

There has been been a viral video claiming that one Chief Olisa Igbonwa was buried alive in Alor, Anambra State by the elders of the village.

The video claimed that the elders of the community met and took a decision to bury and mourn  Igbonwa alive for taking ‘Ichie Ngene’ title by himself in the community.

Igbonwa was alleged to have taken the chieftaincy title as Ichie Ngene, a decision the community felt was not within his right, leading to a mock burial conducted on him by the elders of the community.

Rumours have been flying that Igbonwa was in a casket taken around the community by the elders and buried in a forest.

However, Igbonwa, who was at the office of the Anambra Police Public Relations Officer, said that he is not only alive but would complete the taking of the Ichie title, irrespective of the threat to be buried alive.

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According to him, he received a chieftaincy title from HRM Igwe Alor but was threatened by one Mr Uzoma Igbonwa and others to renounce the chieftaincy title within 30 days or face dire consequences.

However, the police in a statement by the spokesperson, DSP Ikenga Tochukwu, has declared the said publication and the video clip as false and misleading.

It said, “The attention of Anambra State Police Command has been drawn to a trending video clip and online publication credited to one Ifeoma Okeke of Umunna TV that one Chief Olisa Igbonwa was buried alive in Alor, Anambra State by the elders of Okebunoye village, Alor, Idemili South Local Government Area of Anambra State and that the elders met and took a decision to bury and mourn Mr Igbonwa alive for taking ‘Ichie Ngene’ title by himself in the community.

“The publication is not only false but also misleading. The Command wishes to state that Olisa Igbonwa is alive and was never buried alive as alleged in the publication.

“Consequently, the Command received a formal complaint from one chief Olisa Igbonwa that he received a chieftaincy title from HRM Igwe Alor but was threatened by one Mr Uzoma Igbonwa and others to renounce the chieftaincy title within 30days or he will face dare consequences.

“Meanwhile, the Commissioner of Police CP Echeng Echeng has ordered for discreet investigation into the matter and to unravel the circumstances surrounding the incident in order to bring perpetrators to book.”

The statement added that the CP urged members of the public, especially the press to always cross-check their facts before publication in order not to mislead the public.

“Meanwhile, investigation is still ongoing and further details shall be communicated please,” it added.

Punch