By Izunna Okafor, Awka
Barely ten days after the murder of a grassroots politician in Anambra State, the State Governor, Prof. Charles Chukwuma Soludo, and the leadership of the deceased’s community have finally spoken out on the situation.
Recall that Mr. Ezenwegbu (popularly known as Joe Mohale), the Ward 1 Chairman of the Young People’s Party (YPP) in Nanka in Orumba North Local Government Area of Anambra State, was shot by masked men on the evening of Saturday, November 11, a few minutes after he organised a meeting between the party faithful in Nanka and Hon. Princess Chinwe Nnabuife, the member representing Orumba North and South Federal Constituency.
Another villager, identified as Chief Patrick Ezeanaka, was also kidnapped by the masked gunman during the attack; and his whereabouts remain unknown till date.
However, this reporter found the need to seek the reactions, update or stand of the leadership of the community and the state government on the matter, as there was no comment from the duo on the incident barely ten days after the incidents.
When contacted, Mr. Christian Aburime, the Press Secretary to the Governor, in his reaction on behalf of his principal, Governor Soludo, said the police were still investigating the matter, and should be allowed to do their job.
“The police are investigating the matter. Let’s allow the police to do their job first as this is a case of murder,” he said.
On his own part the traditional ruler of Nanka community, Igwe Godwin Ezeilo simply said the royalty would get back to this reporter with its statement on the incident.
When contacted by this reporter, the President General of Nanka Progressive Union (NPU), Rev. Ifeanyi Ezeike, who condemned the acts, noted that the leadership of the community had visited the wife of the deceased to condole with her and the family over what befell them.
On the current update on the incident, he explained that the security agencies were still investigating the matter, and therefore declined to make further comments on the investigation to avoid pre-empting the security agencies.
This notwithstanding, the President General categorically dismissed the speculations and claims that the attack and the murder have some political undertones. He further warned against using such serious matter to play “cheap politics”.
Speaking further, Mr. Ezeike, however, regretted that crimes and insecurity have recently become recurrent in Nanka community in recent time, citing recent kidnap of another indigene of the community who was eventually discovered in Umuchukwu community where he was dumped by his abductors after they blindfolded and tied him hands to leg. He further hinted that another indigene of the community recently escaped kidnap at Nnewi, in addition to other similar crimes recently experienced by indigenes of Nanka.
When asked what his community is doing to prevent further reoccurrence of such crimes and incidents, the PG said the leadership of Nanka was working hard to tighten the security of the community, but however declined to mention the efforts so far made, citing security reasons.
“So, there has been recurrence of such incidents recently in our community and that is why we are making very efforts to discover the people behind these and why it is happening.
“We just hope that the security agencies will do proper investigations on the matter and unravel the people and reason behind these ugly incidents,” he said.
