₦airaland Forum

Anambra: APGA chieftain assassinated
ODOGWU EMEKA ODOGWU, Awka


[b]Chairman, Association of ex-council Chairmen of All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) in Anambra State, Chief Chukwudi Okafor, was Tuesday evening murdered in cold blood in his home town Umuawulu, Awka South local government.

He was killed in front of St Joseph ’s Catholic Church Umuawulu some meters away from his house by assassins.

Daily Champion learnt that his killers had laid ambush in his country home but when he noticed strange movements in his compound particularly at the gate, he ordered his security men not to open the gate. But when he decided to drive away from home towards Nibo, a nearby community, he ran into an ambush by his killers at the Catholic Church.

Daily Champion gathered that the murder which occurred, about 7 pm was sponsored by his rivals over business gone awry, while others allege political connection. His killers did not remove anything from the vehicle. The villagers alleged that the killers were assassins hired by those who are afraid of his rising profile in business and politics.

The assassins opened fire on him, hitting him through the glass of his black Nissan Armada sport utility vehicle (SUV) with Abuja registration number. The SUV however fell into a ditch giving the killers upper hand as they fired more shots through the wind screen at the driver’s seat killing him in the process.

Until his assassination late Tuesday evening Chief Okafor, was a multi millionaire businessman with interests in the maritime sector and ex-council chairman of Awka South local government in Anambra State. He was also a patron of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, Anambra State council.

Two other occupants of the vehicle were also hit, one on the shoulder while the other fainted as a result of shock. They are receiving treatment in an undisclosed hospital.

People who spoke to Daily Champion in Umuawulu said about 85 percent of the people in the community are saddened as Chief Okafor was a noted philanthropist.

The Umuawulu community pleaded with the state government and the police to unravel the mystery behind the death of their son.

Anambra State Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Agboola Clover Oshodi, has visited the scene with other top police officers even as the state police commissioner, Mr. Amusa Bello, although on a trip outside the state has vowed to unravel those behind the crime.

While confirming the killing, Bello informed newsmen that probably the killers of Chief Okafor may have attempted to kidnap him but due to the resistance that Okafor showed, they had to kill him.

He said the command has commenced manhunt for the gunmen and that major flash points in the state and police commands in South -South and South- East states have been alerted on the incident.

Meanwhile, the Anambra State government said it received with grief the news of the death of Chief Okafor.

In a statement, Governor Peter Obi through his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Valentine Obieneyem said: "Rather than mourn this illustrious son of the state, depraved and heartless politicians, I am sure, will use his death to play politics. It is instructive to note that this is the first crime taking place in the state in the last one month, such that one cannot justifiably cite it as evidence of insecurity.

"We should understand that vibrant and dynamic states such as Anambra always witness such a criminal act, but I assure you that government will sustain the present gains it has recorded on security. The governor had already directed the Commissioner of Police to fish out the assassins.

"While Gov. Obi expresses his condolences to the family, he calls on the criminals in the state to pack out, as an all-out war declared on them will be sustained." He also revealed that as part of the security measures being taken, that the government had taken delivery of some Armoured Personnel Carriers (APC) for the state police command.

In a reaction, the state chairman of the NUJ, Comrade Tochukwu Udoji, in a release over the assassination of one of the unions patrons, described it as a great lost while urging the police and other law enforcement agencies to ensure that the killers are brought to book.

Udoji’s statement read: "The security of the state is called to question if the perpetrators are not caught and made to face the law immediately."

Police Public Relations Officer Mr. Emeka Chukwuemeka said the police will arrest the killers.[/b]

http://www.champion-newspapers.com/news/article_2.htm

;d ;d