ABAKALIKI—EBONYI State police Command yesterday confirmed the alleged killing of a driver attached to the office of wife of the governor of Ebonyi State, Mr. Chika Umaha, 28, at Mkpuma Akpoka village in Izzi Local Government Area of the state..
The incident, which was reported by the accountant to the wife of the governor, Enwenyi Fidelis, of Edebigwe village, occurred at about 7:30 pm on December 28, 2013.
Speaking with Vanguard, the state Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Chris Anyanwu, who stressed that the killing of the victim was not an act of assassination, stated that the victims’ vehicle was riddled with multiple bullets holes as no valuable was taken away by the hoodlums.
He said: “It happened on December 28, 2013, by 7:30 pm and was reported on the 29th, the person that reported the matter was the accountant attached to the wife of the governor, Mr. Enwenyi Fidelis of Edebigwe village in Izzi Local Government Area of Ebonyi State.
“He reported it to our Izzi division that the driver, Chika Umaha, 28, was shot by unknown hoodlums on December 28 by 7:30pm at Mkpuma Akpoka village in Izzi LGA.
“On getting the report, our patrol team was dispatched immediately to the scene but unfortunately before they could reach the crime scene, the bandits had already escaped; the vehicle met at the scene was riddled with multiple bullet holes and the corpse of the victim was recovered and deposited at the mortuary, while the vehicle was taken to the station.”
The police spokesperson stated that no arrest had so far been made in connection with the murder of the driver, adding that the police had begun a manhunt to fish out the suspected criminals.
“We have mounted an intensive manhunt to enable us apprehend the criminals. Meanwhile, the case is still under investigation and no arrest has been made; I cannot precisely say that it is an act of assassination.
“As the people investigating the case come up with any clue as to whether it is an assassination or robbery, I will update you but for now, it is not an assassination because we know the ingredients that make up an assassination,” he said.