Apr. 11, 2013
SaharaReporters has learned that Dr. Chudi Nwike, the former Deputy Governor of Anambra State who was kidnapped on March 19, has been killed by his kidnappers who had demanded a N30 million ransom and actually collected a negotiated amount.
The Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) said that the body was identified at the Agbor Police Station in Delta State by the Anambra State Chairman of the party), Chief Amaechi Obidike, State Secretary Barr Emeka Ibe, and the victim’s brother, Dr.Bufo Nwike.
The statement noted that the family had negotiated and paid a ransom prior to the discovery of the body, Bufo Nwike handling the negotiations and arranging to pay to the kidnappers N5million at an undisclosed location in Delta State.
That ransom was in paid on April 5, but the kidnappers, after collecting the money from the courier, cut off all further communications. The body was discovered thereafter.
“We are tremendously ashamed of the circumstances of his death and wish we could now erase from history that a former Deputy Governor of a State in Nigeria died in this manner,” ACN said in the statement.
The party called on the security agencies, in view of the fact that they did not succeed in tracking down the abductors of the former Deputy Governor while he lived, to “rise and smash all obstacles on the way to unearthing the abductors and killers of ACN’s rare gem, an embodiment of peace and knowledge.”
See full ACN press release below:
Anambra’s Pioneer Deputy Governor killed by kidnappers
Okolo Azu Ogbunike aka ejiem ooo!
Omambalai n’umu Chi ewelu efifie jie !!
Umu Anambra izuzu be zu gbe !!!
Nigeria alu emeee nu moooo!!!!
With a heart full of pain and sorrow, Action Congress of Nigeria, Anambra State Chapter, in consultation with the NwikeFamily of Azu Ogbunike, Oyi Local Government Area ofAnambra State announces the death murder of Dr ChuddyNwike, Ibolo Ogbunike, First Deputy Governor of AnambraState and National Vice President of the Action Congress of Nigeria (South East).
Dr Nwike’s body has been identified by Our State Chairman, Chief Amaechi Obidike, our State Secretary, Barr Emeka Ibeand his brother Dr Bufo Nwike at Agbor Police Station in Delta State.
Dr Nwike, who became Deputy Governor of Anambra State under Gov Chukwuemeka Ezeife in 1991, was abducted by gunmen on March 19, 2013 by suspected kidnappers.
According to the family, the suspected kidnappers made contact with his brother Dr Bufo Nwike shortly after with a ransomedemand of N30 million equivalent, delivered in US Dollars. The younger Dr Nwike, negotiated the sum to N5 million which delivered to a location in Delta State through a courier on Friday April 05, 2013,after rejecting the offer for the wife or the brother to deliver the money.
But rather than release the ex-Deputy Governor, the kidnappers seized the money and the courier on April 05, 2013, cutting off all communication, until the body was found.
All efforts and all contacts made by our party to relevant authorities had not yielded any dividend and have surprisingly not even drawn any concern from quarters we took for granted.
We worked and prayed to see Dr Nwike return safe and alive to continue contributing as he has been doing to our party, but we have not. We toiled and moiled to see our South East National Vice Chairman, play his traditional fatherly role in the tasks immediately before us. But we are crest-fallen that Dr Nwike as gone the way of all mortals, though in a way we would have wished away.
We are tremendously ashamed of the circumstances of his death and wish we could now erase from history that a former Deputy Governor of a State in Nigeria died in this manner.
Our Leader Dr Chris Nwabueze Ngige mourns, our committed party faithfuls weep and our overwhelming supporters wail, butDr Nwike,Ibolo Ogbunike ,distinguished medical Doctor, calculative politician and quintessential statesman is no more.
Since the security agencies did not succeed in tracking downAnambra’s Deputy Governor in life, we urge them to rise and smash all obstacles on the way to unearthing the abductors and killers of ACN’s rare gem, an embodiment of peace and knowledge.
We urge them to leave no stone unturned and not be beaten by any decoy until the nation has the right answers to the nagging questions. For we may know who will it be next.
Ebeooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!!!!
For : ACTION CONGRESS OF NIGERIA,ANAMBRA CHAPTER
Okelo Madukaife
State Publicity Secretary
