Following the assassination of the Chairman of Ogbete Main Market Traders Association (OMMATA), Chief Stephen Aniagu, by yet to be identified gunmen, the immediate past Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Enugu State, Dr. Ben Nwoye, has condemned in strong terms what he terms a “conspiracy of silence” among the citizens and residents of Enugu State. as a gradually swelling number of assainations have been recorded since early 2023.
Fuming in a statement signed by him and made available to newsmen in Enugu, Nwoye expressed his frustrations over the gradually swelling number of unsolved assainations being recorded since early 2023 in the state, noting that security agencies remain inactive while citizens withhold vital information.
“The brutal killing of Chief Stephen Aniagu, Chairman of the Ogbete Main Market Traders Association (OMMATA), by assassins in broad daylight serves as a painful reminder that criminal elements in and around Enugu State continue their violent enterprises, targeting and murdering politicians, emerging leaders, and community figures without a trace.
“It is even more distressing to realize that the 48-hour deadline given to security agencies to solve this crime has passed, and there is still no lead on the perpetrators of this heinous act.
“The gruesome murder case file is gradually becoming yet another cold case tucked away by the Enugu State Police Command’s Criminal Investigation Department. All we hear is the same old mantra: ‘We are on top of the situation’ and ‘The killers will be brought to justice.’
“We heard these same reassurances in 2018 when I narrowly escaped an assassination attempt in my sleep. My police orderly, however, was not so fortunate; he was shot in the temple but survived due to miraculous medical intervention funded by me.
“As if this wasn’t enough, Kevin Ezeoha and Chidera Ogaba were shot dead in broad daylight while attending an APC meeting. Despite the loud proclamations from security agencies, there have been no arrests, detentions, prosecutions, or convictions of those responsible.
“These same killers went on a murderous rampage just two days before the 2023 general elections, taking the lives of Chief Barr. Oyibo Chukwu and his driver and then setting their bodies ablaze. Again, security forces made a lot of noise promising to bring the perpetrators to justice, but nothing has come of it. The killers of Barr Oyibo Chukwu and his driver are still at large.
“On the same day Barr Oyibo Chukwu was murdered, bloodthirsty assassins also killed the driver of Hon. Ofor Chukwuegbo.
“As if the deaths of Barr Oyibo Chukwu and others weren’t enough, a few months later, Enugu State lost yet another prominent figure, Hon. Chief Dons Udeh. The security agencies followed the same path, making empty promises to track down his killers. The former Governor of Enugu State, Rt. Hon. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, even pledged 5,000,000 naira for information leading to the arrest and conviction of Chief Dons Udeh’s murderers. Yet again, his death remains unsolved.
“Now, with the murder of the OMMATA Chairman just one week before the Local Government Election, we hear the same rhetoric. I had hoped this would be an exception, but with the expiration of the 48-hour ultimatum and no news of arrests, I am left hopelessly disappointed.
“The people of Enugu must rise to the occasion. Security agencies cannot solve these crimes without helpful information from witnesses. The conspiracy of silence must end. Ndi Enugu cannot pretend to be unaware of the killers of our leaders. We can no longer hide behind the unholy label of ‘Unknown Gunmen.’ These perpetrators are known to us; they live among us—they are Ndi Enugu.
“Someone among us knows who wants me dead; they know who killed Comrade Kelvin Ezeoha and Chidera Ogaba. Someone reading this knows who killed Chief Barr Oyibo Chukwu and his driver. Someone has information about the murder of the driver of Hon. Ofor Chukwuegbo. Someone knows who killed Chief Dons Udeh. Someone in our community knows who killed Chief Stephen Aniagu.
“The conspiracy of silence must end now, I repeat! Anyone who has seen or knows something must speak up. The time to remain silent is over.”
Honestly, we are too matured to be killing ourselves. The day of battle is coming and who will fight our fight if we did not end killing in Enugu State. Please, let the unspeakable technology speak and who no something say something