There was outrage Wednesday over the killing of Dr Chike Akunyili, the husband of the late former Director General of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Prof Dora Akunyili.
Akunyili was Tuesday night killed by gunmen at Nkpor in the Idemili North Local Government Area of Anambra State while returning from a trip to Onitsha where he went to collect a posthumous award for his late wife.
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Seven other persons were also said to be killed in the attack.
According to an eyewitness, the hoodlums were chanting “No election in Anambra in November”.
The news of his death sparked outrage in the land yesterday.
Leading the pack was President Muhammadu Buhari who assured the grieving families that the perpetrators of the heinous act would face the judgment of man and that of God.
The president, in a statement issued by his spokesman, Femi Adesina, enjoined security agencies and leaders of thought to work harder to bring an end to the violence being unleashed on innocent Nigerians.
“President Buhari has fond memories of working with the late Dora Akunyili at the Petroleum Trust Fund (PTF) and Nigerians will never forget the memory of the amazon, who distinguished herself as a courageous, dependable and patriotic citizen,” the statement added.
The late NAFDAC DG was a minister of information under former President Goodluck Jonathan.
The Chairman, South East Governors’ Forum and Governor of Ebonyi State, David Umahi, who also condemned the killing noted that Ndigbo was gradually losing most of its finest to hoodlums in the Zone.
The governor, in a statement made available to Daily Trust by his Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Francis Nwaze, said the killing was “barbaric” and unbecoming of how much human lives no longer matter in society.
Meanwhile, the Senate at the plenary observed a minute silence in honour of Akunyili following a motion by Senator Uche Ekwunife (PDP, Anambra), who drew the attention of her colleagues to the killing.
Ekwunife, while invoking order 43 of the Senate standing order, raised the alarm that South East was bleeding and those gruesome killings in the zone had become rampant.
She called on the Inspector-General of Police, Usman Baba, and heads of other security agencies to step up efforts to arrest perpetrators of the killings and protect lives and properties.
But, the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) yesterday distanced itself from the ‘senseless’ killings in the South East geopolitical zone of the country, including that of Chike Akunyili.
The Director of Media and Publicity of the secessionist group, Emma Powerful, in a statement made available to journalists claimed that those who killed the wife were responsible for the death of the husband.
The group claimed that the ‘senseless’ killings were politically motivated, stating that masterminds were taking advantage of the current situation in the region to unleash mayhem on their political opponents.
IPOB also denied issuing a statement that the November 6 governorship election would not hold in Anambra.
Recall that division reared in IPOB recently when Powerful dismissed a statement from the younger brother to their leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, that the group had suspended its Sit-at-home order.
Following the conflicting positions, the people have continued to observe the sit-at-home order out of fear of attack.
From Muideen Olaniyi &Abdullateef Salau (Abuja), Titus Eleweke (Awka) & Nabob Ogbonna, Abakiliki
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