Gunmen kill ex-Enugu commissioner, brother

Gunmen, on Friday, killed a former Commissioner for Rural Development in Enugu State, south-east Nigeria.

The victim, Gab Onuzulike, was shot dead alongside his brother while they were returning from a burial ceremony in Nkpokolo-River, a community in Oji River Local Government Area of the state.

Mr Onuzulike is a former chairman of the council area.

The former commissioner and his brother were ambushed by the gunmen.

The police spokesperson in Enugu State, Daniel Ndukwe, disclosed these in a statement on Saturday.

Mr Ndukwe said the gunmen “infiltrated Oji-River from neigbouring Anambra community” on Friday before killing the former commissioner and his brother.

He said a joint security team launched an operation against the gunmen in response to a distress call about the attack.

“The team swiftly responded to a distress call over the incident, and intercepted the gunmen at Inyi Community of the council area, as they were escaping into Anambra,” he said.

The police spokesperson said two of the gunmen were killed by the joint security operatives – made up of police and army officials.

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He said a Toyota Land Cruiser SUV earlier snatched from the victims had been recovered.

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One AK-47 rifle with two magazines loaded with ammunition, Toyota Camry SUV, and a RAV4 SUV used by the gunmen, were among the items recovered during the operation, according to the police.

“Meanwhile, manhunt for the assailants, many of whom escaped into a nearby forest with severe degrees of gunshot wounds in the ensuing duel, as a result of the superior firepower of the joint team, is still ongoing,” Mr Ndukwe said.

Increased attacks

Enugu, like other states in Nigeria’s South-east, has witnessed an increase in deadly attacks lately.

The latest incident comes barely three weeks after gunmen abducted some returning university students and other travellers in Ekwegbe, a community in Igbo-Etiti Local Government Area of the state.

In October, gunmen attacked an army checkpoint in Amodu Awkunanaw, a community in Nkanu West Local Government Area of Enugu State. Two persons were feared killed in the attack.

Earlier in October, two persons, including a police officer, were killed when gunmen attacked Inyi Police Divisional Headquarters in Oji River Local Government Area of the state.

Gunmen, in September, killed the wife of a leader of a local vigilante operative in Umuopu, Enugu-Ezike, a community in the Igbo-Eze North Local Government Area of the state.

Days after, gunmen also killed three police officers at New Haven, Enugu North Local Government Area of the state.

Earlier in September, gunmen attacked members of the Labour Party (LP) who were holding a meeting in Awgu Community, Awgu Local Government Area of the state.

Some LP members were also attacked on 31 August by gunmen in Nenwe, a community in the Aninri Local Government Area of the state.

Gunmen, in June, attacked a police checkpoint along Agbani Road in Enugu South Local Government Area of the state. Two officers were feared killed in the attack.

A police officer was killed in mid-June by gunmen who attacked a police checkpoint in Ibagwa-Ani, a community in Nsukka Local Government Area of the state.

Two police officers were also killed on 2 June when gunmen attacked Mkpamte Community in the Igbo-Eze North Local Government Area of the state.

The attacks, mostly targeted at security officials and government facilities, have been attributed to the outlawed Indigenous People of Biafra which is agitating for a sovereign state for the Igbo-speaking people in the South-east.