By Chinwe Imo-Eze Onwosi
Gunmen suspected to be herdsmen have killed a staff of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Emmanuel Igwe and Ajah Okafor, father of Ohaneze Ndigbo Youth wing chieftain, Damian Okafor.
The incident happened in Ishiagu community, Ivo Local government area of Ebonyi State on Sunday evening, June 18, 2023.
Wife of the slain Emmanuel Igwe was also kidnapped by the gunmen who intercepted their car along the Ishiagu-Mpu road.
The INEC Assistant Electoral Officer attached to Afikpo North Local Government Area of the state was shot dead on his way from Abia State with his wife. The wife was however abducted by the hoodlums.
Confirming the killing of his father Damian Okafor, the Ohanaeze Youth Leader said “Fulani herdsmen terrorized Ishiagu area. They shot one man in his car and took the man’s wife. they were going inside the bush with the woman and my father was on his farm staking yam. They met my father there and killed him and they killed him maybe so that he will not disclose their location.
”They just slaughtered him like an animal. When I was called, I couldn’t drive. Somebody drove me from Abakaliki today. I went to the mortuary and saw my father’s corpse there. It was disheartening. Some policemen from Abakaliki have come to our place but they are not doing enough”.
Herdsmen have been terrorizing the Ishiagu/Lokpanta/Okigwe high with many lives lost and many abducted.
Resident Electoral Commissioner of INEC in Ebonyi State also confirmed the death and kidnap of the INEC staff and wife.
“One of our colleagues, an Assistant Electoral Officer in Afikpo North LGA, Emmanuel Igwe, was shot to death by gunmen in Ivo on his way back from Abia State and his wife kidnapped,” she said.
The state Police Public Relations Officer, SP Onome Onovwakpoyeya could not comment on the matter
