One week after the assassination of the Rivers State Chairman of the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP), Pastor Julius Nwonfu,the families of the late politician are still in shock over the unfortunate incident that took away the life of the breadwinner of the family.

Pastor  Nwonfu who hailed from Ozuoba,in Obio/Akpor Local Government of Rivers State was attacked, shot and  killed last week by yet to be identified gunmen while the deceased and his wife were coming from the Port Harcourt International airport,Omagwa.

The families of the late politician believed that the killers must have monitored and trailed deceased from the Airport to the point where he was murdered.

The assassination of the late ANPP Chairman has brought to six the number of political killings in Rivers State since year 2001.Hon Monday Ngbor, was the first victim of this type of killings, a  member of the Rivers State House of Assembly before he was murdered in 2001.Many believed that his murder opened the chapter of political killings in the State since the present democratic dispensation

Dr.Mashall Harry,the pioneer State Chairman of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the pioneer National Vice Chairman, South South of the party and a Chieftain of the All Nigeria Peoples Democratic Party (ANPP), before he was killed, was next after Hon .Ngbor as he was killed in like manner. The flamboyant urged politician was killed in a build up of the 2003 general elections . Dr Harry had left the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)for the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) where he pinch tent  with Chief Sergeant Awuse to oppose the second term bid of the then Governor, Dr.Peter Odili. Chief Awuse was then the ANPP Governorship candidate in Rivers state. The death of  the ostentatious politician then demoralized and deflated  the opposition party in Rivers State.

Chief  Dikibo ,former National Vice Chairman of PDP and the predecessor  to Dr Mashall Harry was also murdered on his way to Asaba,Delta State.

In 2009,Hon Charles Achor Nseigbe,former member of Rivers State House of Assembly  and Ambassador Ignatius  Ajuru were killed in cool blood before  the 2011 general elections. In all these,many believed that the killings of these prominent citizens of the state and others  were politically motivated.

After the killings of Hon Ngbor and Dr.Mashall Harry and Chief A.K.Dikibo,it was believed that the political killings had ended in Rivers State,but the assassination of Hon Charles Nsiegbe and Amb. Ajuru sent a wrong signal to the political class in Rivers State.

It is unfortunate that  in all these killings,the police have failed to track down the killers and the perpetrators of these acts.

It is, however , on this note that the  Widow of the late ANPP chairman Mrs  Blessing Nwonfu ,urged the Police and the Rivers State government to do everythings  to bring the killers  of her husband to book. She urged the police not to  those who killed her husband to go scot free as in the case of other politicians who have been killed before her husband.

Mrs Nwonfu who is yet to  come over the shock of the incident of last Tuesday, noted that the incident that claimed the life of her husband will   not be easily forgotten.

The widow who spoke in an interview with The Tide at the family resident said her husband was killed,living a work load of seven children to carter for.

While narrating the incident, Mrs Nwonfu , a petty trader,said  her husband called and asked her to come over to the airport to pick him ,but  she complained of tiredness and requested that he should pick an airport taxi and come home, but he at the other end also complained  of not having a  enough money to pay for a taxi and that coming with the family car would be cheaper and  as well save cost.

It was at this point I try to reach my children on their phones ,but I couldn’t, so I decided to go myself after I had informed him that I was coming to the airport to pick him knowing the family financial situation.

“I got to the airport and picked my husband, on our way back from the airport , the devil struck, we  heard sounds of gunshots from all sides, bullets coming from all directions which forced me to stop the car and  lied down in the car under the stirring  ,the gunmen shot at us several times, they  thought I was dead, as I heard them say ,”let’s go they are dead ‘’in a local language.

At that point, they have already shot and killed my husband and took away my bag and mobile phone believing that I was dead. One of then turned me and I pretended to be lifeless, so they flew in their vehicle leaving me and the lifeless body of my husband.

When they have left, she said she raised alarm and started calling people to come to her rescue. I did not believe my eyes as I am yet to recover from the shock.

Mrs  Nwonfu who is a petty trader appealed to the state government and security agencies in the state to ensure that those behind the death of her husband are apprehended.

According to her, “With the current situation of things ,I am finished ,I don’t know how to continue in life, I have seven Children, Three are abroad schooling while the rest are in Nigeria. How do I cope with their up keep and studies? She said the killers have succeeded in making her  a widow at an unexpected time.

“I can not cope with my petty trading. The government should help ensure that the police get to the root of the matter and find the killers of my husband. Where do I start from she queried””

The son of the late politician ,Bar.Chimaovu Nwonfu ,believed that the Police are not doing enough to find the killers of his father.

Bar Nwonfu  revealed that before the last Tuesday incident which his father was killed,two  assassins had come to the house of the late Pastor Julius Nwonfu but they did not succeed  in their mission as at then, the two suspect  were caught ,arrested  and charged to  court.

But ,unfortunately, he said ,the two suspects who were  standing trails in the court  jumped  bail and have not been seen since them. We also reported the threat messages which my father have been receiving from unknown persons to the police even though the police were unable to investigate on the issue before his father was killed last Tuesday.

He said it is a great shock that they lose their father at this time,but we plead that the police should help unravel and untangle  those behind the murder of their father.

He commended   the River State Government  for the concern shown so far to help the police apprehend the killers,adding that the family is in dare need of help and assistant from Nigerians.

According to him, the police revealed that over 36 bullets were spread on the vehicle and pump into my father’s body which points to the fact that it was an assassination and not robbery even though the assassins took away my mother’s handbag and mobile phone.

He confirmed that the police have started investigations into the matter but the family are not happy with the  pace they are going.

Acoording, to him , the homicides department of the police has taken over the matter ,their slow pace is making us  get worried. I  was asked to contact the D C in charge of the case but several calls put across  to him  on Friday were ignored.

Mr Nwonfu commended the Rivers State Governor, Rt. Hon Chibuike Amaechi for charging the police to ensure that they find the killers of his father,noted that his father was a peace loving man and wondered why people would want him out of, this earth leaving seven children behind.

Meanwhile,  the Rivers State Police Command   said they have open up investigation into the murder of the late politician .

The Police Public Relation Officer,Rivers State,Ben Egwubulam said already investigation had commenced  and that the Police would do everything within its powers to bring the perpetrators to book.

It is our view that it is not enough not  by assuring the people that those involve in the killing of Pastor Nwonfu would be arrested ,but they should brought to justice, he said.

Nigerians are tired of promises without getting much from the police and the governments. The present administration in the state has done enough to ensure a relatively  stable security ,but more has to be done to ensure that the state is free of crime and other killings within and outside the state.

The State government has invested enough in ensuring that Rivers State is free from crime.Apart from donating patrol vans and  communication equipment, the Amaechi’s   administration has also trained some anti -riot police officers in Israel to fight terrorism which also assisted our neighboring state,Abia to fight the militants and criminals during the reign of Osisi kangwu in Aba.

The ball is now  in the court of the police to commence work having giving  the necessary support and  assistant it required to fight crime from various government organs.

Many residents were not happy with the recent attitude of the police who go about arresting innocent citizens with the aim of extorting money  from them.

If the police will for ones do their legitimate and constitutional obligations, those behind the several political killings in Rivers state would be arrested and brought to book.

Let’s keep our fingers accros and expect that the police will this time brought to book all those involve in the killings of our heroes.