The Tragedy of Princewill igbunaju Ikenna: a life cut short in ikom cross river state.

September 4th, 2023, remains a dark and painful day for the family of Princewill Ikenna, a young man whose promising life was cut short in Ikom, Cross River State.

According to his brother, Ernest igbunaju Onyeka, on the fourth of September which happens to be on a Saturday was the last time the family saw Princewill alive. He had gone out to get a haircut but never returned home.

The next day, when he failed to show up in church, his worried mother went to his residence to look for him. Neighbours confirmed they hadn’t seen him return since the day before. Alarmed, she quickly informed the rest of the family.

After church, Ernest and his uncle went to the police station to report him missing. However, the police advised them to return after 24 hours on Monday, September 6, 2023.

Tragically, Princewill’s father received a phone call asking the family to come to a location called Grass Field in Ikom to identify a body. Upon arrival, they were devastated to find Princewill lying lifeless covered in blood, with three bullet wounds to his head, and his car nowhere to be found.

This discovery raised several questions:

what transpired ?

Was it a robbery?

Who were the people involved?

Determined to find answers, Ernest searched Princewill’s house and found a car-tracking document with a phone number. When he contacted the company, they promised to return his call within 30 minutes. Later, he received confirmation that the car was located in Lagos State.

The family immediately travelled to Lagos and, traced the vehicle to a mechanic workshop, where they discovered the mechanic was changing the car’s entire interior. The mechanic was arrested and questioned. He claimed he was only working for a customer named Pastor Peter Uchena, who had brought the car.

Pastor Peter uchenna

When the police summoned Pastor Peter, he was arrested and interrogated. He stated that the car was a gift from one of his church members, and claimed he could not recall who. When informed that the car’s rightful owner had been murdered in Cross River State, Pastor Peter denied ever visiting Ikom.

However, when his wife was called in for questioning, she contradicted his claim confirming that her husband had indeed travelled to Ikom on the 4th of September to preach.

The case was then reported to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), Panti, Lagos, where Pastor Peter revealed that he was invited to Ikom by another pastor named Pastor Kingsley for a church program. According to him, during his visit, he witnessed Pastor Kingsley and two other men identified as Elvis and Barrie

Pastor Kingsley

accosted Princewill. He further admitted he was present when Princewill was murdered but insisted he did not pull the trigger. He alleged that Elvis shot Princewill and later drove the car to Lagos that same night.

Elvis

Following this revelation, the Inspector

General directed that the case be transferred back to Cross River State for trial. The police from Zone 6 took over the investigation and collected the recovered bullets for forensic analysis.

One of the investigating officers, Inspector Denise Ibe, assured the family that justice would prevail since Pastor Peter was already in custody and the other suspects would soon be apprehended.

The matter proceeded to court, presided over by Joshua justice Ewah. The first and second hearings were conducted successfully, and a date was fixed for the third. However, two days before the hearing, the family’s lawyer received a call from the judge’s office announcing a sudden change of date a move that left the family deeply confused and worried.

Judge Joshua justice ewah

To their shock, Pastor Peter was reportedly discharged on health grounds, according to the judge’s ruling, allowing him to walk free.

Out of curiosity, Ernest sent someone to Pastor Peter’s church the following Sunday, only to receive a video of him preaching energetically and in perfect health.

Since then, the case has been marred by delays, contradictions, and unanswered questions.

Two years later, the family of Princewill Ikenna is still crying out for justice pleading with authorities to ensure that their beloved son and brother does not die in vain.

Recently, the Ministry of Justice has taken notice of the case and released a press statement promising to pursue justice for Princewill and his grieving family.

PRESS RELEASE

The attention of the Cross River State Ministry of Justice, has been drawn to a complaint circulating on various social media platforms, with regard to the lack of progress in the prosecution of CHARGE NO. HM/ 9C/ 2022 – INSPECTOR GENERAL OF POLICE V. UCHENNA PETER CHINWEIKPE AND VALENTINE ALLOYSIUS (AKA MY FATHER MY FATHER), wherein the defendants are being prosecuted for the murder of one Princewill Igbunaju Ikenna on the 3rd of September, 2022.

Alarmed by the allegations made in the complaint and which were made by a sibling of the late Princewill Igbunaju Ikenna, the Attorney-General of Cross River State, immediately launched an inquiry to ascertain the veracity of the claims being made and in the interest of justice and full transparency the following is the outcome of the inquiry:

1. The Information in CHARGE NO. HM/ 9C/ 2022 – INSPECTOR GENERAL OF POLICE V.

UCHENNA PETER CHINWEIKPE AND VALENTINE ALLOYSIUS (AKA MY FATHER MY FATHER) was filed by the Nigerian Police Force, Zone 6, in October, 2022 at the Ikom Division of the Cross River State High Court and is being prosecuted by a Police Prosecutor.

2. The matter had progressed considerably from October 2022 to 31st of January, 2023, within which time, the prosecution called three witnesses and thereafter the matter was adjourned till the 21st of February, 2023 for continuation of examination in chief and cross examination of the 3rd prosecution

witness. The adjourned date taken on record, was however brought forward to the 7th of February, 2023 by the court. This date was communicated to the Police prosecutor a couple of days prior, but the prosecutor was otherwise engaged in Akwa Ibom State in another matter and unable to attend court.

3. On the 7th of February, 2023, the presiding Judge of Court 1, Ikom Division of the Cross River State High Court, Hon. Justice Ashu Ewah, before whom the Charge was pending, sat and took an already pending motion for bail, which had been opposed by the prosecution and granted the defendants bail on health grounds, albeit with the prosecutor not in court and thereafter set out on a national assignment, to sit in an Election Petition Tribunal, resulting in his inability to hear the matter for an extended period of time.

4. The matter came up on three occasions thereafter, but due to the absence of the Presiding Judge who was on National Assignment, it could not be heard. The nominal Complainant, being dissatisfied with the progress of the case and the decision of Hon. Justice Ashu Ewah in granting the Defendants

bail, wrote a petition dated the 22nd of March 2024, to the Honourable, the Chief Judge of Cross River State, requesting that the case be reassigned to another Court, this Petition was received in the Chief Judges Chambers on the 15th of April 2024.

5. Upon receipt of the Petition, the Case file was forwarded to the Chief Judge, who after considering the petition alongside the response to the petition made by Hon. Justice Ashu Ewah, on the 9th of May, 2024, signed an order, reassigning the case to Court 2 of the Ikom Division of the Cross River State High Court, in the interest of Justice.

6. For some inexplicable reason, the Deputy Chief Registrar of Court, saddled with the duty of transmitting the Case file to Court 2 of the Ikom Division of the Cross River State High Court, pursuant to the Honourable Chief Judge’s order failed to do so. The erring court staff was queried in September, 2025, during the annual vacation of the judiciary, when this sorry state of affairs was discovered and is now being referred to the Cross River State Judicial Service Commission to face disciplinary proceedings.

7. The case is now pending before Court 2 of the Ikom Division of the Cross River State High Court, the case file having been reassigned there, pursuant to the Honourable Chief Judge’s order and came up on the 13th of October, 2025 for re-arraignment of the Defendants. The first Defendant Uchenna Peter Chinweikpe, although represented by counsel, was however not in Court on that date and the matter was consequently adjourned till the 21st of October, 2025.

8. The Attorney General of Cross River State has in the interest of justice directed the Director Public Prosecution, Cross River State Ministry of Justice, to take over this matter forthwith, for effective prosecution and to ease the minds of the Nominal Complainant, as well as members of the General Public.

9. The office of the Attorney General of Cross River State, has been in contact with the victim’s family through his younger brother Ernest Onyeka Igbonaju and appraised him on the steps taken since this matter came to the attention of the Ministry of Justice.

So as to effectively and completely

prosecute this matter, the office of the Attorney General has also been in contact with the

Commissioner of Police, Cross River State Command and requested assistance in arresting three other suspects, said to be complicit in this despicable crime namely, Elvis Ntui, Pastor Effiong and one Barry, who have all fled and have been on the run since.

The Ministry of Justice sympathizes with the family of the late Princewill Igbunaju Ikenna and assures them and the general public, that this matter will be diligently prosecuted and that Justice will indeed be served in it.

Anthony Okon Effiom Esq.

Solicitor General and Permanent Secretary

Ministry of Justice