Nawfia Killings: My Father’s Spirit Demands Justice — Igwe Chijioke Nwankwo
The Traditional Ruler of Nawfia His Royal Highness, Igwe Chijioke Nwankwo, the Osufia II of Nawfia
The Traditional Ruler of Nawfia Community in Nawfia Njikoka Local Government Area of Anambra State, His Royal Highness, Igwe Chijioke Nwankwo, the Osufia II of Nawfia, has called on the people of the town to unite in order to appease the spirit of his late father, Igwe F. B. C. Nwankwo, the Osufia I of Nawfia, who he said was unjustly murdered.
According to him, genuine peace will continue to elude the community until this spiritual and traditional duty is fulfilled.
Igwe Nwankwo made the statement while reacting to the killing of four youths at Afor Nawfia Market on Saturday by suspected cultists.
He insisted that no community in history whether in the Bible or anywhere in the world—has ever enjoyed peace after the killing of its king without proper appeasement and reconciliation.
“I know what to do. All I need is unity among my people so we can move Nawfia forward. The spirit of my father is haunting those who killed him, and until it is finally settled, peace will remain elusive,” he stated.
The monarch recalled that the crisis of killings and unrest in Nawfia began in 2020 after former Governor Willie Obiano suspended and subsequently removed him from office simply because he travelled to Abuja.
He stressed that he had been the legitimate traditional ruler of Nawfia for 25 years, since 2001.
He explained that the court case was never about how he became Igwe but about the legality of his removal.
He noted that a competent court reinstated him in June 2022, but some individuals who feel “above the law” have continued to disobey the judgment.
According to him, the present turmoil in Nawfia stems from the involvement of individuals “without pedigree, background, or character” in the traditional and administrative structures of the town.
“This is what happens when you bring in people without pedigree or character to run a system. The incident could have been prevented if the system was functioning. This is not the first time—people were killed in September 2025, their eyes plucked out, and their bodies dumped in Nawfia. We cannot keep quiet while the blood of our people are being shed,” he warned.
He insisted that the town is unstable and will remain so until Nawfia unites behind him to address the spiritual issue surrounding his father’s death.
The Igwe blamed part of the lingering problem on the Office of the Attorney General of Anambra State, alleging that the Attorney General refused to give the governor proper legal advice on the Nawfia matter.
He repeated that the court reinstated him in June 2022 but that some individuals have continued to defy the ruling. According to him, efforts to see the governor have been blocked by people who do not want the truth about Nawfia to reach the state government.
“With every sense of responsibility, I say that the trouble in Nawfia is caused by the Office of the Attorney General of Anambra State. I challenge anyone to dispute this,let them challenge me so I can open the entire can of worms. I have kept quiet for too long. They want me to reopen the case of my father’s assassination. Murder has no time limit,” he declared.
The monarch said he had to seek protection from security agencies, including the DSS, because those fighting him are dragging him from one court to another, and he fears suffering the same fate as his father.
He said that the town loves him and that only a few individuals many of whom he personally conferred chieftaincy titles on are responsible for the unrest.
Igwe Nwankwo said he has officially written to both the police and the governor, warning that no one should parade himself as the traditional ruler of Nawfia, adding that the person currently doing so has no legal backing.
He said it is the responsibility of the Attorney General to properly advise the governor on the legal status of the Nawfia traditional stool.
He described the behaviour of some individuals in the town as “regressing from animistic tendencies to outright jungle behaviour.”
The traditional ruler also noted that he previously curbed cult activities at Afor Nawfia Market, which he described as once being a den of cultism, although he acknowledged that crime cannot be completely eradicated from any society.
He reaffirmed that he had been Igwe since 29 December 2001, and on 15 November 2002, the late Mbadinauju issued him a certificate based on the recommendation of Dr. Fred Nnamdi, then Special Adviser to the Governor on Chieftaincy Matters.
“I saw the DSS report to the governor,it stated that 95% of Nawfia people are behind me. I also saw the report of the then Local Government Chairman, who was present when I was crowned. The issue before the court is not about my coronation but whether Obiano was right to suspend me and withdraw my certificate under Sections 10, 16, and 24 of the Anambra State Traditional Rulers Law,” he explained.
He said his father made enormous sacrifices for Nawfia, and every family in the community benefitted from his contributions, yet he was repaid with murder.
He stated that he never sought the throne but was chosen by the community, which even documented its decision and asked him to return to Nigeria to assume the position.
According to him, for Nawfia to experience lasting peace, the community must come together to appease his father’s spirit, because “no community kills its king and enjoys peace.”
