The Enugu State Government has demolished multi-storey buildings belonging to a controversial billionaire native doctor identified as High Chief Levi Onyeka Obu, popularly known as “E dey play, e dey show,” following shocking revelations of ritual killings allegedly perpetrated at his residence.
The demolition took place late Tuesday night at Umumba Ndiagu, Ezeagu Local Government Area, after disturbing reports surfaced of the suspect allegedly kidnapping and burying a pregnant woman alive within his compound. The news triggered outrage, prompting residents to raze the buildings and vehicles in his estate before the government moved in to officially pull down the structures.
A viral video from the scene showed excavators tearing down one of the two-storey buildings, with a voice in the background declaring, “This is one of the buildings used for kidnappings in Ezeagu… Enugu State has zero tolerance for any form of criminality.”
The Enugu State Police Command confirmed the incident in a statement issued Wednesday by its spokesperson, SP Daniel Ndukwe. According to him, the police, in collaboration with community vigilantes and local security groups, rescued a 13-year-old girl from a building allegedly used for ritual purposes by the suspect. The girl was saved just in time, he said, from being buried alive.
The police further disclosed the arrest of three male suspects at the scene: Uche Kingsley Agumba (33), Ilo Nweze Onyedikachi (36), and Ejike Odinwankpa (38). However, the prime suspect, Ezeani, reportedly fled the area and is currently at large.
During the rescue operation, authorities discovered two decomposing bodies — one male and one female — sealed in concrete pits within the compound. The house, described as an uncompleted building masquerading as a shrine, was allegedly used for multiple acts of ritual killings.
Police Commissioner CP Mamman Bitrus Giwa, who visited the site personally, commended the collaboration between security agencies and the community. He also ordered an intensified manhunt for the fleeing suspect and other accomplices still at large. “The Command is fully committed to ensuring that justice is served,” SP Ndukwe stated.
In response, the Enugu State Government swiftly moved to demolish the buildings, stating the structures were being used for heinous criminal activities. “Enugu will not be a safe haven for ritualists or criminals of any kind,” a government official emphasized.
Meanwhile, native doctors from Ezeagu Local Government Area staged a peaceful protest on Wednesday, distancing themselves from the suspect. Carrying placards with inscriptions such as “Ezeani is not our member,” they insisted the man was a ritualist and not a legitimate traditional healer.
“You don’t use guns to do native doctor work. We use herbs to heal, not harm,” one of the traditionalists said. “This is an abomination. All the killers and ritualists should leave our community.”
Tensions escalated in the community after another man allegedly linked to ritual activities was caught attempting to abduct a 13-year-old child, which reportedly led to an angry mob attacking suspects and razing their properties.
Further investigations revealed that what appeared to be a soakaway pit in the suspect’s home was a mass grave containing remains of multiple victims, including pregnant women — believed to have been buried alive in rituals purportedly performed for wealth and influence.
As of the time of filing this report, ThisDay could not confirm reports that the fugitive native doctor had been apprehended near a border crossing. Security agencies have assured the public that efforts are underway to bring all responsible parties to justice.
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