Police accuse IPOB/ESN renegades of assassinating LP senatorial candidate in Enugu, Chukwu
Enugu Police Command has accused rogue militants of the Eastern Security Network (ESN) outfit of the pro-secession group, the Indigenous Peoples Of Biafra (IPOB) of assassinating the candidate of the Labour Party (LP) the state’s East senatorial zone in the Saturday, February 25 elections in the state.
Barrister Chukwu was assassinated, Wednesday, evening in the state as his assailants after shooting him dead, along with four occupants of a campaign car proceeded to set his body ablaze inside the vehicle.
He was set ablaze alongside other party members while riding in a Sienna vehicle at Amaechi Awkunanaw, in the Enugu South Local Government Area of the State.
Chukwu was reportedly returning from a campaign rally with some of his supporters.
Nigeria Bar Association, Enugu chapter has staged a walkout of court proceedings in protest against the murder of Chukwu, who was a former chairman of the Oji River Bar, one of the branches of NBA in the state.
The lawyers also gave the state government and Police Command 48 hours to arrest and bring to book the killers of Chukwu.
Meanwhile, responding to killing of the LP senatorial candidate, Thursday, the Commissioner of Police, in Enugu, CP Ahmed Ammani alleged that IPOB and ESN members were behind the attack.
Ammani who also disclosed that he has ‘ordered the intensification of the discreet investigations and manhunt of the subversive criminal elements, suspected to be IPOB/ESN renegades, who in the night hours of 22/02/2023 at different locations, ambushed and simultaneously attacked and murdered People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and Labour Party (LP) members, and also attempted to attack the convoy of the All Progressive Congress (APC) Governorship Candidate.’
”The police preliminary investigations into the incidents showed the armed hoodlums, operating in a tricycle, attacked a PDP campaign Mini Bus at Topland by Ebony Paint Road, Amechi-Awkunanaw Enugu and used a petrol bomb to set it ablaze, burning to death its driver, simply identified as one KC Great (male).
”In a similar fashion, another set of the same armed assailants, operating in a Hilux vehicle, attacked and set ablaze the campaign vehicle of the Labour Party, at Eke-Otu Amechi-Awkunanaw Enugu, burning to death the Party’s Senatorial Candidate for Enugu East Senatorial District, Barr. Oyibo Chukwu (male) and his Personal Assistant (male) were with him in the vehicle.
”However, the miscreants were repelled by Security Operatives while attempting to also attack the convoy of the Governorship Candidate of the All Progressive Congress (APC) at Eke, Agbani, Nkanu West LGA,” a statement signed by Spokesperson for the state’s police command, DSP Daniel Ndukwe (DSP) read.
