An elderly man in his 70s, identified as Amos Onwe Ubochi, has been found dead in a stream in Ohaukwu Local Government Area of Ebonyi State, a day after attending an All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) endorsement meeting.
Ubochi, a resident of Osege Village in the Umuogudu Oshia Ngbo community, reportedly attended a political consultation and endorsement meeting on Monday, August 17, where community elders endorsed Tochukwu Ogalagu, the APGA candidate for the Ebonyi/Ohaukwu Federal Constituency, along with other party candidates.
According to community sources, Ubochi participated actively in the meeting and led other elders in prayers before the endorsement took place. He was reportedly in good condition when the meeting ended.
The elderly man was said to have left the venue alone and begun trekking home. However, he reportedly failed to return, causing members of his family to become worried.
Family members and others in the community subsequently began searching for him through the night. His body was discovered the following morning inside a stream some distance from the road leading to his residence.
Reports indicated that Ubochi was found fully clothed and sitting inside the stream. The circumstances surrounding his death have raised concerns within the community, with allegations that he may have been attacked while returning from the political meeting.
The incident has also generated concern among supporters of APGA, particularly because of the timing of the death and the deceased's participation in the endorsement exercise.
Ogalagu condemned the killing and described the incident as callous, inhuman and unacceptable. He called on security agencies to investigate the circumstances surrounding Ubochi's death and ensure that anyone found responsible is brought to justice.
The APGA candidate said the deceased was the elder who led the prayer session during the August 17 consultation and endorsement meeting. He noted that Ubochi had appeared healthy and actively participated in the event before leaving for his home.
The incident has reportedly been reported to the police, while the deceased's remains have been deposited in a mortuary.
Ogalagu also alleged that the killing could be connected to threats reportedly made by political actors in the constituency. However, the motive for the killing has not been conclusively established, and investigations are expected to determine what happened to Ubochi after he left the meeting.
The development comes as political activities intensify ahead of the 2027 general elections, with political parties increasingly holding consultations, meetings and endorsement events across the country.
Authorities are expected to investigate the circumstances surrounding the elderly man's death and determine whether the incident was politically motivated or resulted from another cause.
The killing has renewed calls for political actors and their supporters in Ebonyi State to avoid violence and allow citizens to participate freely in political activities without fear or intimidation.
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