Dr Chike Akunyili, the widower of the former Minister of Information, Professor Dora Akunyili, was on Tuesday evening shot dead by some gunmen suspected to be members of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, at Umuoji in Idemili North LGA of Anambra State.
According to a report by Tribune, Mr Akunyili was killed alongside his driver and police escort on Tuesday evening while at the University of Nigeria Nsukka Alumni Association, UNAA, event where he had gone to receive the honour conferred on his late wife.
A source, who was present at the venue of the award ceremony said that the event took place at the Sharon Hall, All Saints Cathedral, Onitsha, where the murdered widower made a donation of N500,000.
The deceased, it was further gathered, attended the ceremony in the company of his son, Obum, with the source claiming that the older Akunyili was shot in the presence of his son.
Though the attempt to get confirmation from the state police public relations officer, DSP Toochukwu Ikenga was not successful, sources in the victim’s community, Agulu have confirmed the incident.
Attempt to speak with the state Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Ikenga Tochukwu proved abortive as he refused to pick his calls.
A member of his community identified as JohnBosco said: “He lost his life at Nkpor Junction, Idemili North Anambra State Tuesday 28/9/2021 when he came to Anambra to receive an award for the Late Amazon, Prof Dora Akunyili.
Agbalanze (his traditional title) was killed by gunmen. May the Lord console the Akunyili family and Ndi Agulu in general,” the source said.
But the IPOB spokesman, Emma Powerful, while speaking with Tribune, denied responsibility, saying: “IPOB is not unknown gunmen and regrets why people with evil agenda to the people of Biafra still link IPOB to the murderous group”.
