Geoffrey Anyanwu, Awka
Anambra State, yesterday, lost two president generals.
While the President General of Nimo Town Development Union (NTDU), Chief Frank Anthony Igboka, was assassinated by gunmen at about 8:00p.m in Nimo, the President General of Ndiokolo Town Union, Chief Hygienus Aniche, was said to have been killed by a hit-and-run driver around Orumba axis of the state.
Aniche of Ndiokolo in Orumba North Local Government Area of the state, was said to be on his way back to his village after visiting the Anambra State Association of Town Unions (ASATU) office, in Awka, when he met his death.
Igboka, who was a former member of Anambra State House of Assembly and former local government chairman of Njikoka Local Government Area, was shot inside his car around Oye Nimo Market.
State Police Public Relations Officer, Haruna Mohammed (SP), who confirmed the incident, said preliminary investigation showed that Igboka was shot at close range by four armed men, who escaped in a pickup van towards Abacha Eziowelle Road. Mohammed said 25 expended ammunition were recovered at the scene.
Meanwhile, Governor Willie Obiano has announced a N5 million reward for anyone with useful information on the identity of the killers of Igboka.
In a statement by the Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, C. Don Adinuba, the governor also directed the Commissioner of Police in the state to personally lead a team to apprehend the killers immediately.
“He has, in addition, directed the Department of State Security, intelligence officers in the Nigerian Army and the Nigerian Navy as well as the Nigerian Security and Defence Corps to join the Nigeria Police Force in the task to uncover the culprits.
“The governor described the killing as utterly heartless and noted that Chief Anthony Igboka’s elder brother, Chief Charles Igboka, a former Nigerian diplomat in Europe, died only two weeks ago and was yet to be buried.
“It is a shame that the killing of Chief Anthony Igboka should take place in the week leading to Easter, when men and women of goodwill throughout the world are reconciling themselves to God and with fellow human beings.
“His father, Sir Vincent Igboka, a distinguished papal knight, was a great Christian missionary, who devoted his whole being to the spread of the good news of Jesus. He worked in such a way that he is being considered for canonisation in some quarters.”
Emphasising that no stone would be left unturned in the effort to make Anambra the safest and most peaceful state in Nigeria, Obiano said, “anyone who thinks he can spill the blood of an innocent Anambra person and go scot-free is living in a fool’s paradise.
“All the persons who have, in the last five years, attempted to spill blood in the state, have been caught up by the long arms of the law. Chief Igboka’s killers cannot be different.”
Following the directive of the governor, the state Police Command has released an emergency phone number for people to call for prompt response.