Victor EzejaSome parts of Enugu State have been cast into a state of pandemonium following the killing of the Labour Party Senatorial candidate for Enugu East Senatorial district, Oyibo Chukwu, two days to the 2023 General Elections, elections.
According to media reports, Oyibo, a lawyer was shot and killed inside his branded Sienna bus on Wednesday night, while returning from a campaign trip in Agbani.
The incident happened at Amechi road, Enugu South Local Government Area of the state.
Oyibo Chukwu was said to have been burnt inside his vehicle, but it was not yet known how many people were with him in the vehicle.
A video that surfaced online showed a burning Sienna car branded with Labour Party insignia.
A male voice was heard in the video saying that the vehicle was shot by unknown gunmen, but could not confirm the number of people inside the vehicle.
Also, the driver of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), House of Representatives candidate for Enugu South and North constituency, Hon Offor Chukwuegbo, was killed along the same Amechi axis.
The vehicle belonging to Chukwuegbo used for campaign which he was driving at that point was also set ablaze in the incident.
Governorship candidate of the Labour Party in Enugu State, Chijioke Edeoga, confirmed Oyibo Chukwu killing, saying that “the entire occupants of the sienna car were burnt to ashes.”
He said: “This is a devastating blow for us. I was with the candidate on Tuesday and we were planning how to attend the reception by his community. It is unfortunate that this can happen”, Edeoga said.
Chukwu was in the contest against Chimaroke Nnamani of the PDP and Ada Ogbu of the APC for the Enugu East Senatorial seat.
The killings have been allegedly linked to non-state actors threatening that there will be no election in the Southeast unless the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu is released.
The breakaway faction of IPOB led by the Finland-based Simon Ekpa declared sit-at-home in the region.
Meanwhile, a civil society group, Socio- Economic Rights Accountability Project (SERAP), has called for a full investigation into the killings.
“The Buhari administration must promptly investigate the reported killing of the Labour Party candidate for Enugu East Senatorial district, Oyibo Chukwu in Enugu while returning from a campaign trip. The perpetrators must be immediately arrested and prosecuted,” SERAP tweeted at 11:48 pm on Wednesday.
Victor Ezeja is a passionate journalist with six years of experience writing on economy, politics and energy. He holds a Masters degree in Mass Communication.
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