Fatshimétrie: A Deep Dive into an Unusual Case
The gruesome assassination of Chief Stephen Aniagu, Chairman of the Ogbete Main Market Traders Association (OMMTA) in Enugu, as well as the recent executions by suspected killers, continue to draw strong condemnations from people from all walks of life in Enugu and beyond.
Dr Ben Nwoye, former Chairman of the Enugu State Chapter of the Allied Progressive Party (APC), has called on the people of the state to “end the conspiracy of silence and expose the killers of our brothers.”
In a statement signed and forwarded to newsmen in Enugu by Dr. Nwoye, he lamented the sad reminder of the presence of criminals in Enugu and its environs who continue to carry out their nefarious activities by targeting and killing politicians, emerging leaders and community leaders without leaving a trace.
He added that the pain and worry were all the greater with the realization that the 48-hour deadline given to security agencies to apprehend the killers of Aniagu by the state government had expired, and there was no trace of the perpetrators of the heinous crime.
He said: “The case of the cruel murder is gradually being relegated to the cold case files of the Criminal Investigation Department of the Enugu State Police Command. All we hear is the same old refrain: we are on the case, the killers will be brought to justice.”
“We heard the same story in 2018 when I narrowly escaped an assassination attempt in my sleep, my police bodyguard was not so lucky. He was shot in the temple. He survived the attack thanks to the miraculous medical intervention he received at my expense.
“As if that was not enough, Kevin Ezeoha and Chidera Ogaba were shot dead in broad daylight while attending an APC meeting. Despite the noise of the security agencies, no arrest, detention, prosecution or conviction of the culprits has taken place.
“These same assassins have embarked on a killing spree two days before the 2023 general elections. They killed Chief Barr. Oyibo Chukwu and his driver. To make matters worse, they set the bodies of their victims ablaze. As usual, the security agencies have been making noise, promising to bring the culprits to justice. To date, nothing has been done. The killers of Barr Oyibo Chukwu and his driver are still roaming the streets.
“The same day Barr Oyibo Chukwu was killed, the bloodthirsty killers also killed the driver of Hon. Ofor Chukwuegbo.
“As if the death of Barr Oyibo Chukwu and others was not enough, a few months after that unfortunate event, Enugu State lost yet another illustrious son in the person of Hon. Chief Dons Ude. The security agencies followed the usual path with the same stream of rhetoric promising to flush out the killers of Chief Dons Udeh. The former governor of Enugu State, Rt. Hon Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, offered a reward of N5,000,000 to anyone who could provide information leading to the arrest, prosecution and conviction of the killers. Once again, the death of Dons Udeh remained unsolved.
“And now here is the death of the OMMTA Chairman, a week before the local government elections. We hear the same platitudes. I hope this will be an exception. But with the expiration of the 48-hour ultimatum and no further arrests, I am desperately disappointed.
“The people of Enugu must rise up. Security agencies cannot solve crimes without getting useful information from witnesses. The conspiracy of silence must end. NdiEnugu cannot pretend not to know the perpetrators of our leaders. We can no longer hide behind the unholy veil of the “Unknown Men”. These men are well known to us because they live among us. They are the NdiEnugu.
“Someone among us knows who wants me dead, they know who killed Comrade Kelvin Ezeoha and Chidera Ogaba. Someone reading this article knows who killed Chief Barr Oyibo Chukwu and his driver. Someone knows who killed the driver of Honourable Ofor Chukwuegbo. Someone knows who killed Chief Dons Udeh. Someone in our community knows who killed Chief Stephen Aniagu.
“The conspiracy of silence must end now, I repeat! Someone who saw something must say something. Someone who knows something must say something,” he pleaded.
This series of tragic events and impunity highlights the security and justice challenges facing Enugu State. It is imperative that members of the community come forward and break the silence so that justice is served and such heinous acts do not go unpunished.