Obi Levi Obieze, the fugitive suspect at the centre of a horrifying case of ritual killings and kidnappings in Ezeagu Local Government Area of Enugu State, has denied being a native doctor, insisting he is merely a trader dealing in second-hand clothes.
Obieze, a well-known resident of Umuojor village in the Isiagu community, was apprehended by operatives of the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) at the Gbaji checkpoint along the Badagry-Seme Road in Lagos. He was reportedly trying to cross into the Benin Republic on a motorcycle, accompanied by two of his wives, when he was intercepted.
In a video now circulating online, the suspect denied all allegations linking him to spiritual practices or ritual crimes. “I am not a native doctor. I don’t know anything about rituals. I am just a businessman who sells okrika,” Obieze said.
However, his denial contradicts numerous eyewitness accounts from his community, which describe him as a flamboyant native doctor popularly known as “Ezeani” or “E de Play E de Show.” Locals say he frequently attended public events dressed in traditional priestly regalia and was notorious for ostentatious displays of wealth.
Following his arrest, Obieze claimed he was the target of a politically motivated plot aimed at preventing him from ascending the throne of his community. “This is a set-up. I am the next in line to become the king of my village. Some powerful individuals are trying to ruin me because they don’t want me to become the Igwe,” he alleged during interrogation.
His claims of innocence, however, come amid mounting outrage after recent events intensified public suspicion. Last week, local vigilantes rescued a kidnapped teenage girl from a soakaway pit in Obieze’s compound. Further search revealed the decomposing remains of at least two other victims, including a pregnant woman, buried in the same pit.
Reacting to the gruesome discovery, Enugu State Governor Dr. Peter Mbah ordered immediate action. On Tuesday, the Chairman of Ezeagu LGA, Hon. Vita Ndu, oversaw the demolition of properties linked to Obieze as a demonstration of the government’s commitment to justice and public safety.
Meanwhile, an Immigration officer involved in the arrest, identified as Prince Orji Ugochukwu (known on Facebook as Okeosisi Ugo), reportedly rejected a bribe of ₦10 million and two smartphones—an iPhone 13 Pro Max and a Tecno Camon 19—allegedly offered by Obieze in a desperate bid to evade justice.
TheNigeriaLawyer could not independently verify this claim, which was attributed to a source who said they had direct communication with the officer. In the purported message, the officer claimed he recognized the suspect from viral social media alerts and pursued him after he tried to evade arrest at the checkpoint. The officer reportedly handcuffed the suspect after confirming his identity and transferred him to the Seme border patrol command.
Obieze is now in police custody and is expected to face charges as investigations continue.
