Tony Okafor,Awka
Anambra State Governor, Prof Chukwuma Soludo has declared the killers of a lawmaker in the state, Okechukwu Okoye, wanted.
As a consequence, the governor has placed a bounty of N10m on their heads for information that could lead to their arrest.
The Press Secretary to the Governor, Christian Aburime, disclosed this in a statement obtained by our correspondent on Sunday in Awka, the Anambra State capital.
Okoye, who was kidnapped last week in Aguata was found on Saturday at Nnobi in the Idemili South Local Government Area of the state without his trunk.
A family source, who spoke with our correspondent on condition of anonymity said,” His body was not there, indicating that his killers removed the body. We are suspecting political assassination because some people didn’t want his return to the Anambra House of Assembly again.”
But a note allegedly found where Okoye’s head was dumped was signed by people who claimed to be unknown gunmen. In the note, the killers vowed that more heads would roll.
A source who saw the note said, “The letter isn’t clear but it started with the word “warning”. At some point, it reads “everywhere you go you cannot hide anywhere. We will go after you one by one because soldiers and police is (sic) no longer our problem.”
Killings and arson have been on the increase in the state since March 17 when Prof Soludo was sworn in as the governor of the state.
No fewer than four local government headquarters in the state and several police stations had been attacked and set ablaze within the period under review by people suspected to be Biafra agitators under the tag unknown gunmen.
Soludo had at different fora enjoined such agitators to embrace come out from the forests and embrace and be rehabilitated.
The governor had also visited the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, in prison as part of the measures to pacify the agitators.
The governor’s press secretary in the Sunday statement said Soludo received the gruesome killing of the lawmaker and his aide, and his aide, Cyril Chiegboka with shock and deep sadness.
The statement read partly, “Both Hon Okoye and Cyril Chiegboka were kidnapped on the road by the heartless and barbaric murderers on 15th May.
“Gov Soludo condoles with his kinsmen of Isuofia, noting that it is probably the same criminal gang that attacked him and killed three policemen at Isuofia two years ago that are once again on the prowl. But they can never cow down Isuofia and Anambra state.
“Governor Soludo, still in shock over the barbaric acts against his two kinsmen, vowed that the perpetrators as well as all criminals operating in Anambra must be decisively brought to book.
“Governor Soludo has consequently placed a N10 million reward for anyone or group that will avail valuable information that will lead to the immediate arrest of the perpetrators of this dastardly act. Anambra will soon be a hell for these criminals, Gov Soludo assured.
“Governor Soludo wishes to reassure Ndi Anambra of government’s resolve and renewed determination with the security agencies to go all out against the criminals and ensure they are brought to justice.
“Anambra will win against the forces of darkness,” Gov Soludo assured, urging Ndi Anambra to brace up for the all out war against the criminals.”