Otokoto is the name given to a series of ritual killings that shook Nigeria in 1996. It centered around the Otokoto Hotel in Owerri, Imo State, owned by Chief Vincent Duru, also known as Chief Otokoto.
The case gained national attention after the brutal murder of 11-year-old Anthony Ikechukwu Okoronkwo.
He was lured into the hotel by Innocent Ekeanyanwu, drugged, and killed for a ritual. When police investigated, they found several graves on the property.
The public reacted with anger. Riots broke out across Owerri. Homes and businesses linked to the suspects were burned.
Chief Duru and others were arrested, tried, and later sentenced. The Otokoto case is one of the most disturbing criminal cases in the country’s history.
Owerri Before The Otokoto Killings
Before the 1996 Otokoto killings, Owerri, the capital of Imo State, was a city in transition. Once a quiet town centered around civil service, teaching, and petty trade, it began to grow rapidly in the 1980s and 1990s.
READ: The Ogoni People Of Nigeria: A Complete Guide To Their History, Culture, Traditions And Facts
This growth was driven by population increase and migration from surrounding rural areas.
People came looking for work and better lives, but many found disappointment instead.
Jobs in the government and formal sectors were shrinking. As a result, a large number of residents, especially the young and unskilled, turned to street businesses and self-help ventures to survive.
Poverty was all over. Many lived in poor housing, without access to clean water, healthcare, or steady income.
Hunger and sickness were common, particularly in low-income areas.
The city itself was changing. Buildings replaced farmland as Owerri expanded outward. This growth brought more trade and construction, but it also strained roads, housing, and the environment.
The promise of prosperity seemed real, but it never reached most people.
Among the mix of communities in Owerri were migrant groups like the Hausa, who worked in tailoring, shoe-making, and laundry.
By the mid-1990s, Owerri was a divided city. Wealthy elites lived in mansions, drove luxury cars, and threw lavish parties.
But many residents questioned how such wealth was made. Rumors of fraud, political protection, and ritual activities surrounded these powerful figures.
Trust in law enforcement was low, as corrupt officials shielded criminals.
In this climate of poverty, inequality, and fear, ritual killings began to surface. Owerri had become a city where wealth and suffering lived side by side.
READ: 10 Major Cities In Abuja’s Federal Capital Territory (FCT)
The Story Behind The 1996 Otokoto Ritual Killings
On September 19, 1996, a shocking crime shattered the quiet city of Owerri in Imo State, Nigeria.
An 11-year-old groundnut seller, Anthony Ikechukwu Okoronkwo, was lured into the Otokoto Hotel by a man named Innocent Ekeanyanwu.
Pretending to buy snacks, Ekeanyanwu offered Anthony a bottle of Coke laced with drugs. The boy passed out.
Anthony was gruesomely murdered inside a hidden room in the hotel. Ekeanyanwu beheaded him with a cutlass and removed several body parts, including the liver and genitals, believed to be used for ritual purposes.
His headless body was buried in the hotel compound.
The Otokoto Hotel, owned by Chief Vincent Duru (widely known as Chief Otokoto), became the center of the horror.
The murder wasn’t random; it exposed a ritual killing network involving powerful figures.
Ekeanyanwu confessed he was taking the boy’s head to Chief Leonard Unaogu, a wealthy businessman believed to be a key player in the ring.
On the way to deliver the head, Ekeanyanwu hired a commercial motorcyclist, Hilary Opara.
During the ride, Opara noticed blood dripping from the bag and alerted the police. Ekeanyanwu was arrested with the severed head still in his possession.
Five days later, a local TV station aired a disturbing image of Ekeanyanwu holding the head.
The public erupted. Protests broke out across Owerri. People saw it as proof of corruption, where the rich used rituals to gain more wealth and power.
The Otokoto case exposed not just a brutal murder, but a larger system of ritual killings tied to money and influence.
Aftermath And Legal Proceedings Of The Otokoto Ritual Killings
The murder of 11-year-old Anthony Ikechukwu Okoronkwo on September 19, 1996, shocked Owerri and the entire nation.
Just days later, from September 24 to 25, enraged citizens erupted in protest. Known as the Otokoto Riots, the unrest was both spontaneous and violent.
Years of anger over corruption, injustice, and the rise of ritual killings finally boiled over.
Crowds set fire to the Otokoto Hotel, where the boy was murdered. Properties owned by suspects, especially Chief Vincent Duru, the hotel’s owner, were attacked.
The destruction was a cry against a wealthy elite believed to have gained riches through sinister means.
The Imo State military governor at the time, Colonel Tanko Zubairu, ordered a full investigation.
The main suspect, Innocent Ekeanyanwu, confessed to the killing and named others involved.
But just four days later, he died in police custody, allegedly poisoned. Many believed it was an attempt to shield powerful figures.
Still, the probe went on. Authorities found at least 24 bodies buried around the hotel, confirming it was used for ritual killings.
Several suspects, including Chief Vincent Duru and Chief Leonard Unaogu, were arrested.
Witnesses detailed disturbing events. A hotel staff member confirmed that victims were buried under flowerbeds.
The trial started on December 9, 1996, and lasted for years. On April 28, 1999, seven men were sentenced to death.
Unaogu died in prison under unclear circumstances. Duru remained on death row for nearly 20 years before his execution on November 13, 2016.
So touching