REVEALED – How Gunmen Kill Labour Party Governorship Candidate’s Cousin
There is palpable tension in the Ezeala/Ezike autonomous community in Umuezeala, Ehime Mbano Local Government Area of Imo State following the killing of a deputy registrar of the Federal Polytechnic, Uwana, Ebonyi State, Innocent Obi.
The late Obi was a direct cousin of the Labour Party (LP) candidate in the November 11 governorship election in Imo State, Senator Athan Achonu.
Obi was reportedly killed by gunmen operating under the guise of Biafra agitators.
The deceased, popularly known by villagers as Onye Army, was said to have retired from the military before joining the polytechnic.
Community said that Obi was abducted and killed when he travelled to Umuoboama village for the burial of a relation.
It was further gathered that soon after Obi returned to his family house in the village after the funeral last weekend, some hoodlums numbering over six invaded his house around 10 pm.
The assailants were said to have operated in military and police uniforms.
One of the sources said, “They broke through the main door and started using machetes and axes on him.
“His cry for help attracted villagers to the scene, but the boys who were operating on three motorcycles, started shooting consistently into the air.
“The shooting forced everybody who had come out for his rescue back. And they abducted Dee Onye Army from that Friday night, leaving heavy blood stains in the house.”
Another source stated that the villagers woke up the following day on Saturday, and formed a search party to look for him.
“It was late Sunday afternoon that we got information about a decomposing corpse lying between Ehime Mbano and Ahiazu Mbaise.
“When our people visited the scene that Sunday, it was the dead body of our brother, Dee Onye Army that we met.
“They gruesomely butchered him beyond recognition.
“Dee Onye Army was a man who ensured that any youth who wanted to go to school got admission. So many youths were given admission to his school. He never lived like a rich man, always unassuming.
“It was now that he started building his house in the village and that building is just around the decking stage,” one of the sources said.
The incident is said to have left the community and its neighbours in fear as there had been similar killings and other related criminal activities in the area, particularly the killing of about five security operatives in the area.
