Assassins murder hotelier in Imo state….As Police arrest 3 suspects over killing of Aba-based bizman

By CHIDI NKWOPARA
OWERRI—A gang of dare devil hoodlums, suspected to be hired assassins, have murdered an international businessman, Mr. Kevin Ezekwem, in his Umuocha Awa country home in Oguta Local Government Area of Imo State.
Vanguard investigations revealed that the deceased commissioned his brand new hotel in the community and invited people to “come, drink and eat whatever they wished.”
It further was gathered that the event turned sour at about 9pm when some young boys stormed the place and asked for a particular brand of beer (names withheld).
“As Kevin made to serve his supposed guests, the boys drew out their guns and started firing into the air and people ran for safety,” a female villager told Vanguard.
According to the villager, the hoodlums shot him in his legs before taking him away in their waiting Toyota Camry car.
“The entire village was shocked beyond description when they discovered the same night that the hoodlums further shot their harmless prey in different parts of his body before dumping him in the premises of Community Primary School, Akabor,” the woman recounted.

File Photo: Gun men

Another male villager told Vanguard that the community’s vigilante group belatedly mobilised and pursued the invading assassins but only spotted the lifeless body of Kevin in the school.
“From the way the gory event played out, it is clear they were not kidnappers but assassins, who were possibly hired to execute the damnable act. The police was quickly alerted and they moved the corpse to a morgue,” the man said
He particularly recalled that Kevin had a heated disagreement with his wife, which culminated in his sending the woman out of the family home, stressing that three days after this incident, the blood-thirsty assassins struck.
When contacted for his comments, the Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, Mr. Vitalis Onugu, confirmed the incident and promised to get back to Vanguard.

….As Police arrest 3 suspects over  killing of Aba-based bizman
By ANAYO OKOLI
UMUAHIA—ABIA State police command has arrested three persons in connection with the killing of an Aba-based businessman, Chief Iroeke Ukaku.
The police said Ukaku’s killers also killed two vigilante members guarding his house.
The deceased was killed last Friday night in his Abiriba country home in Ohafia Local Government Area.
Three members of his household were also abducted by his killers.
Abia State Police Commissioner, Mr. Ambrose Aisabor, in a telephone interview, confirmed to Vanguard that three persons had been arrested, while the state criminal investigation department was still conducting further investigation.
According to the commissioner, information made available to the police said the late Ukaku was a man who “abhorred criminality and crimes”.
Aisabor said the police was informed that the slain businessman was, however, using members of the state vigilante [Bakassi] from Aba to arrest people in the community and took them to Aba.
He said: ”Even before the New Year, he was said to have come twice to make some arrest and took them to Aba.
“I was reliably informed that a day to the New Year, he again took some people away with Bakassi without recourse to the police.
“The Federal Government does not recognize Bakassi. I don’t understand what he was doing with them.
“What happened to him could be a revenge mission. That was the story we heard. But we are looking at many theories.
“For now, three persons have been arrested. The process is on. The state CID is handling the matter.”

Vanguard News