It is unfortunate that Enugu has reverted to its old ways of carrying out violent political assassinations after Oyibo Chukwu, the Labour Party’s (LP) candidate for the Enugu East Senatorial Zone election on Saturday, was reportedly killed on Wednesday.
When Nigeria’s democratic era began, Enugu had already established itself as the nation’s epicenter of political killings thanks to the murders of several well-known figures, including:
Victor Nwankwo, the younger brother of Eastern Mandate Union (EMU) founder Arthur Nwankwo, and Chimere Ikoku, a former vice chancellor of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), as well as Sunday Ugwu, the older brother of Nwabueze Ugwu, a lawyer and member of the House of Assembly.
In Chukwu’s case, the veteran politician was reportedly attacked by yet to be identified gunmen, who waylaid the vehicle he was travelling in with some party stalwarts within the Amechi Awkunanaw axis of Enugu South Local Government Area of Enugu State.
The old time politician is one of those favoured to win Saturday’s election in which former governor of the State, Chimaroke Nnamani of the Peoples Democratic Party and Ada Ogbu of the All Progressives Congress (APC) are also contesting.
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The Advocate, an Enugu-based online newspaper, quoted a source, who does not want to be named as saying that Chukwu and his driver were assassinated, adding: “Our candidate is dead! He was killed inside his campaign vehicle; a Sienna bus. We finished campaign in parts of Nkanu West and he was heading home before the assailants attacked him and killed him.
Identities of the victims were yet to be ascertained but Labour party leaders who spoke to our reporter said the Senate candidate’s phones were not connecting.
The persons responsible for this arsonic acts still remain unknown.
Similarly, , the driver of the People’s Democratic Party PDP, House of Representatives candidate for Enugu South and North constituency, Hon Offor Chukwuegbo was killed along same axis by gunmen reportedly shouting “No election in Biafra land”
The campaign vehicle belonging to Chukwuegbo that he was driving was also set ablaze in the incident.
It was learnt that Barr Chukwu was billed to be hosted for a reception by his Amurri community on Thursday by 2.00pm.
Sources stated that the Hilux vehicle bearing the gunmen had overtaken his branded Sienna bus at the Amaechi axis and opened fire severally at it. It ignited in the process and burnt the entire occupants in it.
Younger brother of the candidate, Lucky Chukwu said last night ” the story is terrible. I cannot say more than this for now, but this is bad”. He was said to be returning home after a campaign tour”
Governorship candidate of the Labour Party in the state, Chijioke Edeoga however confirmed the story, saying that ” the entire occupants of the sienna car were burnt to ashes”.
” This is a devastating blow for us. I was with the candidate on Tuesday and we were planning how to attend the reception by his community. It is unfortunate that this can happen”, Edeoga said.
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In addition, Chukwuegbo, who confirmed the death of his driver, claimed the shooters may have assaulted him first before allegedly colliding with the Labour Party candidate.
But he also said that while the people who attacked his driver rode a tricycle, the people who attacked the Labour Party candidate rode a Hilux.
According to what I heard, no one was able to escape the Labour party’s Vienna bus. Offor the well-known Eke Otu market in Amechi Awkunanaw, “My driver may have been attacked before that of the Labour Party.
