The Concerned Igbo Stakeholders Forum, a pressure group, on Wednesday condemned the gruesome killing of Dr Chike Akunyili, the husband of late Prof. Dora Akunyili, by yet to be identified gunmen in Anambra.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that the incident occurred in Nkpor, near Onitsha, on Tuesday, while the deceased was returning from Onitsha after a posthumous award bestowed on his late wife.
It was also gathered that five other persons were also killed during the attack.
The Leader of the group, Mr Chukwuma Okenwa, told NAN in Enugu that the news of Chike’s death was a rude shock to Igbo communities and groups within and outside the country.
Okenwa said that the act of killing an innocent man and someone that provides services to the people as a doctor “is highly barbaric, condemnable and unfortunate”.
“It is a great shock to us. One wonders what a jungle the whole country was turning into due to insecurity.
“Those that serve the people honourably, should end their lives honourably as well,” he said.
Okenwa said that Chike’s death underscore the height of insecurity in the country, adding that there was an urgent need to beef up security infrastructure nationwide.
“I am calling on the police authorities and the government of Anambra to do all in their capacities to fish out those that carried out this dastard and barbaric act,” he said.
Meanwhile, a NAN correspondent, who visited the Enugu residence of the Akunyilis at 2A Bishop Onyeabor Street, GRA in Enugu, met the compound under lock and key.
The gate man of the compound, Mr Emeka Odonwebe, told NAN that the entire family traveled to Awka, the Anambra capital, this morning.
“The eldest son of Oga Chike instructed me not to allow anybody, both friends and sympathisers, until he returns probably on Friday after meetings with elders of the extended family and doing other arrangements,’’ Odonwebe said. (NAN)