By Ruth Oginyi
A staff of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Ebonyi State, Mr. Emmanuel Igwe, has been shot dead by yet-to-be identified gunmen.
Igwe, an Assistant Electoral Officer attached to Afikpo North Local Government Area of the state, was shot dead on his car by the armed wielding hoodlums in the presence of his wife.
The gunmen also reported kidnapped the late Igwe’s wife, Mrs. Charity Igwe.
The suspects also killed the father of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youth Leader, Damian Okafor, Pa Ajah Damia Okafor, on his farm in Ishiagu area, Ivo local government area of Ebonyi State.
The incident occurred on Sunday, June 18th, 2023.
Igwe was shot dead by the suspect in his car while the wife who is also a senior staff of INEC ( personal unit) was kidnapped.
He is a father of 1. The boy (son) was named after the immediate past deputy governor of Ebonyi State Eric Igwe.
The INEC Assistant Electoral Officer who hails from Alike – Ikwo local government area, was shot dead on his way from Abia State with his wife who is from Imo State.
Reports have it that the gunmen were taking Igwe’s wife inside the bush on the highway when they saw Pa Aja Damian Igwe working on his farm and shot him dead instantly apparently to prevent him from disclosing their location.
A source from INEC raised the alarm saying “One of our colleagues, an Assistant Electoral Officer in Afikpo North LGA, Emmanuel Igwe, was shot dead by Unknown Gunmen in Ivo on his way back from Abia State, and his wife was kidnapped.
Speaking on the killing of his father, Ohanaeze Youth Leader, Damian Okafor told journalists that Fulani herdsmen terrorized the Ishiagu area.
“They shot one man in his car and took the man’s wife. they were going inside the bush with the woman and my father was on his farm staking yam. They met my father there and killed him and they killed him maybe so that he will not disclose their location.
” They just slaughtered him like an animal. When I was called, I couldn’t drive. Somebody drove me from Abakaliki today. I went to the mortuary and saw my father’s corpse there. It was disheartening. Some policemen from Abakaliki have come to our place but they are not doing enough”.
The State Police Public Relations Officer, SP Onome Onovwakpoyeya when contacted said the incident occurred on Sunday around mid-day, and said the gunmen shot the victim through his car’s windscreen.
“We have begun a manhunt for the assailants. We are hopeful that they will be apprehended. The victim was shot through the windscreen of his car “.
