By Sam Asoluka

‘How can a short life end like this? how can violence steal a father from his children? No one has yet been charged with murder.  A killer is never a winner.  So, I make a bold and confident appeal today. Listen! Don’t let cruel death stir you to hate. Let life and love and the good thing of God stir you instead. You are beginning the long and difficult journey of grief. Don’t run away from it. Feel the pain but know it won’t destroy you. Feel the anger but don’t give into it. Keep telling the stories. Keep holding each other. Keep praying to God who offers life and peace. Do it.  Do it for…’ Rev Simon Harvey’

Chief Ike Ben Onyechere, Adviser to Chief Okezie Ikpeazu, the Governor of Abia and the former Senior Special Assistant to Ex-Governors Dr Orji Uzor Kalu and Chief Theodore Orji who was assassinated in Owerri on January 29, 2017, was laid to rest few days ago in his country home Obokwu, Obinze, Owerri West Local Government, Imo State.

Ike, as he was fondly called is gone forever. All of us who knew him are angry, heartbroken and mourning including his family but moving on with tears. May his Soul find everlasting Peace in the Lord, Amen.

In Nigeria, very few people chose to end their lives at a certain time and on a certain day. But, Ike Ben Onyechere was not in that sore mould. He was full of life, gregarious, manly, generous, true and straightforward. Ike’s death was a heartbreak. I am indeed pained. We pray and wish his death does not launch his community into perpetual dolour  

As at the time of writing this piece, the police in Imo State have not arrested any suspect in relation to the assassination of Chief Ben Ike Onyechere. Those who killed him are still out there and may be looking for other people to ‘demolish’ as they have done to the Onyecheres’ and others.

As the families grief over the assassination of their loved ones, they expected to hear ‘good news’ from the Police and the Governor, Rochas Okorocha on the investigation. No news was the news. The Governor, rather looked the other way and ‘rewarded’ the out-going State Police Commissioner Mr. Taiwo Lekanu with a gift of land worth N25 million in Shell camp, Owerri and N5 million cash to fuel his car as he left the Imo State. Not done yet, the Governor rubbed it in on the families more painfully by naming a ‘sought after’ Road after the same Police Commissioner under whose watch innocent Imo people were assassinated.    

Why the gifts? What is special about Mr. Taiwo Lekanu and the work he did in Imo State as a Police Commissioner? Other people had been Police Commissioners in Imo State before him. Governor Rochas Okorocha’s gifts to Mr. Lekanu are like poking fun at the dead and their families or dancing on the graves of all the innocent Imo indigenes including Chief Ben Ike Onyechere who were murdered in cold blood in a State Mr. Lekanu was guarding as the Chief Police Officer.

For, Mr. Taiwo Lekanu, the wise thing to do now is to reject the gifts publicly. The N5 million cash is blood money and the land is wet with the blood of those killed under his watch as Commissioner of Police in Imo State. He should off-load the gifts now and unchain his generations because the land and cash gifts are tainted, infested and burdened.  

The truth is, Imo State is safe no more. So, crawl if you can, walk if you are able, but run as fast as your legs can carry you because the state is now a haven for armed robbers, kidnappers, assassins and criminal politicians. The State that prides itself as the Eastern Heartland is now as dangerous as Sambisa war front. It is now a fearful place for civilized people to live or bring up children. Imo state is now awash with illegal weapons and these weapons are all in the hands of criminals who are on the loose. Run, run, criminals have taken Imo State hostage.

During the Otokoto saga of 1996 Imo people said never again, but it looks like professional killers and kidnappers have moved their Head Office to the State. No day passes without news of kidnapping or assassination in the State. Some of these crimes are reported to the police but many of the cases go unreported because the people may have lost confidence in the police and the state government.

It is like assassins have been sent to unleash mayhem in the state daily. There is fear and unease, nothing works and it is even more perilous to walk alone in the state. The residents now look over their shoulders and those who have the means to protect themselves, go about their daily businesses with their bodyguards in tow. But what is more irksome is that Imo state that is known for her immeasurable hospitality, joy, and peace is now enveloped in trepidation. The certitudes in Imo State as at today are armed robbery, kidnapping, and assassination.

See below some of the unresolved assassinations in Imo State from 2012 to 2017

In August 2012: A former Director of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Chief Charles Nwosu was assassinated in Owerri. Unresolved.

Chief Bennett John Ihekire, Founder and Managing Director of Dekorkote Paints Industries Ltd brutally murdered in 2012? Unresolved.

 Mr. Emmanuel Adoba (former Uwajumogu’s Aide) brutally murdered on the 1^st of August 2012? Unresolved.

 

Sir Emenike Ihekwaba (Principal Secretary to the Former Deputy Governor) kidnapped on the 26^th of August, 2012 and his where about, unknown. Unresolved.

Mr. Laz  Anyanwu (Chief Protocol Officer to the former Deputy Governor) brutally murdered in January 2013? Unresolved.

January 2014: Ex-Chairman of Ikeduru Local Government Area Chief Brendan Oguine was assassinated in his country home, Umuhu, Atta. Unresolved.

In February 2014, a US based Showbiz Promoter, Mr. Emmanuel Tochukwu Unegbu was assassinated in his hotel room in Owerri. Unresolved.

Architect Franklin Okoli killed on the 3^rd of June 2014 in Owerri Unresolved.

Mr. Kingsley Nkemka (Former Uwajumogu’s aide) brutally murdered on the 9^th of September 2014? Unresolved.

 

In August 2015, Rev. Father Dennis Osuagwu, a Catholic Priest was assassinated along Nekede – Owerri Road. Unresolved.

 

Prince Chimezie Offorduru, Imo State Chairman of National Association of Nigeria Traders (NANTS) was assassinated in the World Bank Housing Area in April 2016. Unresolved.

Mr. Amaechi Ahanonu was murdered in October 2016 in Orogwe village by Kidnappers after collection the sum of N500,000. from his family. Unresolved.

October 2016, a police inspector attached to an APC Stalwart in Mbieri was murdered. Unresolved.

Last December, Mr Friday Nduka a native of Egbuoma in Oguta Local Government Area, who returned from Indonesia to wed his fiancé and celebrate Christmas 2016 with his family was allegedly shot and killed in cold blood at a petrol station along Onitsha road by a policeman after a minor argument over a mobile phone. The policeman ran away and has not been caught to face justice. Unresolved

On the 12 January 2017,  Mr. Chuks Okebata a Nigerian-American was kidnapped from his home in Umuomumu, Mbieri in Mbaitoli Local Government in broad daylight. His dead body was later found in Akabo junction in Ikeduru Local Government Area. Unresolved

Sadly and more horrifying, on 29 January 2017, Chief Ike Ben Onyechere, former General Manager of ADAPALM, Ex-Senior Special Assistant to the former Governors of Abia State, Dr. Orji Uzoh Kalu and Chief Theodore Orji was also assassinated in Ikenegbu, Owerri and the assassins are still at large. Unresolved.

On Saturday, April 1, 2017, men suspected to be hired assassins killed 30-year-old banker, Enyioma Okwudiri at Okigwe town in Imo State, the investigation is ongoing. Unresolved.

There are many missing persons and unreported cases of murder/assassinations in the state but nobody including the government is doing anything positive to sanitize, cleanse or take control of the state back from the faceless men of the underworld who are roaming freely in the State.

Imo deserves better. And, the last time I checked, Owelle Rochas Okorocha has not been removed as the Governor. But, the residents seem depressed and in perpetual mourning. When will the needful be done?. Please let there be no ‘next murder/assassination’ in Imo state.