Octogenarian assassinated in Anambra community

By Cyprian Ebele, Onitsha 

An octogenarian, and community leader, Ichie Michael Chinwe Nwobu, was said to have been assassinated in his residence at Umudioka village, Awka, Anambra State capital, in the early hours of Sunday.

According to the relations to the victim, the incident would have led to a total revolution and consequent breakdown of law and order by aggrieved Umudioka youths, safe for the timely intervention of the elders of the community who managed to calm the frayed nerves.

Confirming the incident to newsmen on Monday at Umudioka Village Town Hall, during their emergency stakeholders meeting, Secretary to Ndichie Umudioka Obunese, Chief Joseph Nweke expressed disgust that such a dastardly act had taken place in the community for the first time in the history of the existence of the area.

Flanked by other community leaders, stakeholders and elders, Nweke disclosed that the assailants had trailed the victim, aged 84, to his bedroom upstairs, between 7 a.m. and 9 a.m. on the fateful day, shortly after his wife and other family members had left for Church and allegedly stabbed him many times in his neck and chest before sneaking out of the house.

He therefore pleaded with the appropriate security agencies to expedite action and fish out the perpetrators and bring them to book as according to him, the assassins had just committed an abomination of the highest order, considering the age of the victim and the brutal manner with which they slashed his throat with either knives or machetes.

Chief Fidelis Nwokike, Chairman Administrative Organ of the village, noted that it took them time to control the youths of the area from going into rampage and urged the security agencies to do a thorough job to unravel the circumstances surrounding the dastardly act, adding that they interacted with him last on Saturday, March 1, during a buried ceremony in the area.

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Also commenting on the incident, Christopher Uzoh, Chairman Okolobia (youths); Nnaemeka Emeka, Nephew to the deceased and Mr. Anayo Obiakor, a stakeholder and former Chairman of Okolobia Umudioka, condemned the act and vowed that the evil doers must never go unpunished.

On whether they are suspecting any person or persons  as perpetrators, the bereaved stakeholders said they would prefer a situation where the police are allowed to carry out a discreet Investigation and unmask the actors behind the scene.

The state Police Public Relations Officer, SP Tochuckwu Ikenga told newsmen on phone that the incident had not yet been brought to his knowledge, adding that he would inquire from the state Criminal Investigations Department, CID, to find out if the case had actually been reported to them.