The people of Nanka community in Orumba North Local Government Area (LGA) of Anambra, have raised alarm over their safety following the assassination of Mr Joe Ezenwegbu last Saturday.
Ezenwegbu, Chairman of the Young Progressives Party (YPP) in Nanka Ward 1, was killed after a stakeholders’ meeting ahead of a yet-to-be-fixed rerun election in the area.
A group of Nze title holders (High Chiefs) expressed their fears when they spoke to journalists at the Anambra Government House, Awka.
Dr Chiedozie Ezeozue, who spoke for the group, said the growing spate of targeted killings in Nanka needed attention of the Anambra government and security agencies.
Ezeozue, who called for a thorough investigation into the killing, said it was serious for the case to be dismissed as sheer coincidence, kidnapping or general insecurity, insisting that there was more to it than met the eye.
“This murder looks political, Joe was a grassroots politician, he was the Chairman of YPP and on that Saturday, he organised a stakeholders meeting with Mrs Chinwe Nnabuife, candidate of his party in the community.
“Nnabuife already told us how she was warned not to step foot on Nanka but she came prepared with enough security personnel and the assailants could not do anything.
“It was after the meeting that they stormed the Etti hall at the village square, identified Ezenwegbu and shot him,” he said
Ezeozue said Nanka have had cases of beheading and gruesome killings, including those of a former commissioner and a former president general of the Community.
He said none of those responsible for the killings had been arrested or prosecuted.
“Nanka community is in mourning mood, this is a worrisome development, so we are afraid and are begging for protection.
“That is why we are calling on Gov Chukwuma Soludo to take special interest in Nanka insecurity. Police and the DSS should hunt down the killers and their agents with the aim of ensuring that the blood of this man is not allowed to flow in vain,” he said.
Meanwhile, CP Aderemi Adeoye, the Commissioner of Police in Anambra, says the command had launched a manhunt for killers of Ezenwegbu.
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