Oyibo Chukwu shot dead and vehicle set ablaze
Oyibo Chukwu, who is aspiring to represent the Enugu East Senatorial district under the Labour Party was killed in Enugu on Wednesday by yet-to-be-identified gunmen, barely 48 hours before the election.
Chukwu was killed at Amichi, Awkunanaw Local Government area of Enugu while returning from a campaign rally by having the vehicle they were travelling set ablaze.
There were at least five other supporters with him.
The bodies of the victims were burnt beyond recognition.
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The governorship candidate of the Labour Party, Chijioke Edeoga, confirmed the unfortunate incident, saying his party members are being targeted for assassination by political parties, which felt threatened by the rise of the Labour Party in the state.
Peter Obi, Labour Party Presidential Candidate, hails from South East, which has been a flashpoint, even before the election period.
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Suspected militants have vowed to cripple election in the region but security forces have assured residents that they are on top of the situation.
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The Enugu police command is yet to react to the incident, which Edeoga insists is politically motivated.
How Nigerians have reacted
Reactions have continued to trail the tragic incident. Reacting to the incident in a tweet, the former Presidential candidate of the Africa Democratic Congress, Dr. Kingsley Moghalu, who lamented the unfortunate incident, lamented that politics didn’t have to be this violent.
“What a tragedy! I am deeply saddened. Oyibo was my classmate at the University of Nigeria (Enugu Campus) Law Faculty. Does politics have to be this desperate and violent? May his soul rest in peace. My sincere condolences to Oyibo Chukwu’s family,” Moghalu said.
A Twitter user, Michael Okwegba said, “Really sad to hear that Barr. Oyibo Chukwu LP Senatorial Candidate for Enugu East was ki11ed and the vehicle was set ablaze. Totally unacceptable. I hope Igbo elders and political elites can now wake up and understand that it is no longer safe to continue to play the ostrich.”