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From Chijioke Agwu, Abakaliki
Gunmen suspected to be Fulani herdsmen have killed an official of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Ebonyi State, simply identified as Emmanuel Igwe.
It was gathered that Igwe, who was an Assistant Electoral Officer in Afikpo North Local Government Area (LGA), was shot to death by gunmen while returning from Abia State.
The gunmen also kidnaped his wife who was with him in his car. The incident reportedly occurred on Sunday, along Mpu- Ishiagu road leading to Enugu-Okigwe highway. An official of INEC, who reported the incident in a short message circulated alongside the victim’s body on social media, yesterday, said, “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 kidnapped.”
It was also gathered that the gunmen, in a bid to escape untraced, shot another man dead in his farm. Leader of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youth Wing, Damian Okafor, who is from the area, also confirmed the incident, adding that the man killed in his farm by the gunmen was his biological father.
He said: “What happened was that the gunmen, after killing the man and kidnapped his wife, were running inside the bush and, suddenly, met my father in his farm.
“In order to escape without a trace, they shot my father who had seen them. Police have been briefed on the matter and investigation is on. The incident happened along Mpu, Ishiagu road, leading to Enugu-Okigwe highway.”
The Police Public Relations Officer, Ebonyi Command, Onome Onovwakpoyeya, when contacted, said the incident occurred on Sunday afternoon.
“We have begun a manhunt for the assailants, and we are hopeful that they will be apprehended.
“The victim was shot through his windscreen,” she said.
