By James Nwakpa
Residents of Abofia village in Ebonyi Local Government Area of Ebonyi State have been caused to live in tears and panic, following the gruesome murder of an indigene of the area, Mr Simon Nwede, who was killed at his compound on Thursday night by unknown gunmen.
Narrating the ordeal, the Chairman, Abaofia Development Union, Mr Christopher Ojiugwo who expressed shock over the senseless killing of his villager, explained that the unidentified gunmen who were three in number broke into the compound of the victim with a motorcycle at about 8 pm on that black Thursday, and confronted Mr Simon and asked him to hand over his phone and his motorcycle key to them, which he obeyed to save his life but very, unfortunately, despite his kind submission, the assailants later shot him at his leg and he fell, and immediately they abandoned him in a pool of blood and tried to make their way when a close neighbour who was somewhere watching hit one of them who wanted to move with the stolen motorcycle with a bottle and he quickly jumped out of the bike and made his way through the bush.
Mr Simon Nwede who was in his mid-30s and also a father of four children was identified as an electrician and also the leader of the Ebubeagu security outfit in the Abofia suburb of Ebonyi L.G.A.
According to Mr Ojiugwo, the assassination of Mr Simon Nwede came barely three weeks after the similar killing of his family member, Mr Emeka Nwekebe, a father of 6 children, both from Elechi Awoke family in Abofia village, Ebonyi Local Government Area of Ebonyi State.
Also speaking, the Youth President of the village, Mr Oliver Nwite, who decried the high rate of insecurity in the area, explained that when he received a phone call that Mr Simon Nwede was shot by the criminals, he quickly rushed to the scene of the incident, where he met the victim lying helplessly in a cold blood, and he joined hands with the neighbours and took him to Alex Ekwueme Federal Teaching Hospital Abakaliki, where he was confirmed dead.
The Youth President who had earlier described the death of Mr Simon Nwede and his kinsman, Mr Emeka Nwekebe as shocking and painful, also called on the government to come to the aid of the family members of the deceased and as well beckoned on the police and other security agencies to investigate the mindless killings of the duo and ensure that the perpetrators of the dastardly acts are made to face the full wrath of the law and to also beef up the security in the area to forestall future occurrence.
Commenting on the development, a trader at Abofia market, who pleaded anonymity, noted that the unfortunate situation has grossly affected the business activities in the area, as traders are forced daily to close markets before 8 pm by the angry village youths, a condition which he said has imposed more hunger and economic difficulties on the people living in the area.
In a similar reaction, a resident of the village, Hon. Samuel Iziogo commiserated with the bereaved families and advised the youths not to take laws into their hands, as the matter has been reported to the police for further investigations and necessary actions.
All efforts to hear the police mouthpiece in the State failed at the time of filing this report.
