Geoffrey Anyanwu, Awka
Governor Willie Obiano of Anambra State has announced a N5 million reward for anyone with useful information on the identity of the killers of the President General of Nimo Town Development Union (NTDU), Chief Frank Anthony Igboka.
Igboka, who was a former member of Anambra State House of Assembly, was assassinated Tuesday night by unknown gunmen inside his car around Oye Nimo market area in Njikoka local government of the state.
Confirming the killing, the State Police Public Relations Officer, Haruna Mohammed said that it happened about 8.18pm and preliminary investigation showed that Igboka was shot at close range by four armed men.
The gunmen, he said, escaped in a pickup van towards Abacha Eziowelle road, while 25 expended ammunitions were recovered at the scene.
Commissioner of Police Mustapha Dandaura visited the scene Tuesday night and ordered for a full scale investigation to ascertain the circumstances surrounding the incident and to bring perpetrators to justice.
In a statement by the State Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, C. Don Adinuba, Gov. Obiano, setting aside a N5 million reward, had directed the Commissioner of Police in Anambra State to personally lead a team to apprehend the killers immediately.
He said, “He has, in addition, directed the Department of State Security, intelligence officers in the Nigerian Army and the Nigerian Navy as well as the Nigerian Security and Defence Corps to join the Nigeria Police Force in the task to bring the culprits quickly.
“The governor described the killing as utterly heartless, noting that Chief Tony Frank’s elder brother, Chief Charles Igboka, a former Nigerian diplomat in Europe, died only two weeks ago and was yet to be buried.
“It is a shame that the killing of Chief Igboka should take place in the week leading to Easter when men and women of goodwill throughout the world are reconciling themselves with God and fellow human beings.
“His father, Sir Vincent Igboka, a distinguished papal knight, was a great Christian missionary who devoted his whole being to the spread of the Good News. He worked in such a way that he is being considered for canonization in some quarters.”
Emphasizing that no stone would be left unturned in the effort to make Anambra remain the safest and most peaceful state in Nigeria, Obiano said, “Anyone who thinks that he can spill the blood of an innocent Anambra person and go scot-free is living in a fool’s paradise.”
“All the persons who have in the last five years attempted to spill blood in the state have been caught up by the long arms of the law. Chief Igboka’s killers cannot be different.”