Gunmen Kill Party Stalwart In Delta

Mr Paul Atie, a former Transition Committee Chairman of Patani Local Government, was shot dead by unknown gunmen in Ughelli, Delta, last Thursday.

Atie was a PDP stalwart and a frontline crusader against the fourth term aspirations of some legislators from Patani, Bomadi and Burutu areas of Delta.

He was also the publicity secretary of Guanah 2011 Campaign Organisation, the team of Mr Raymos Guanah, an aspirant to the Delta House of Assembly.

An eyewitness account said the gunmen, numbering about four, trailed their victim to a filling station, where they blocked his car and ordered him to enter theirs.

The account said the deceased attempted to resist and pleaded with his assailants to go with his car, a Toyota Avensus, and leave him.

The witness said the suggestion angered the gunmen, who allegedly shot him on the rib and drove away in the car.

Atie was rushed to a nearby hospital by sympathisers, where he later died.

Mr Charles Muka, the Police Public Relations Officer for the Delta Command, confirmed the incident.

Muka said although no arrest had been made, the police would do everything possible to bring the culprits to book.

Meanwhile, Guanah, a former Commissioner for Lands, Survey and Urban Development, has called on the police to urgently fish out the perpetrators of the action.

Guanah is aspiring to represent Patani Constituency in the state assembly.

He said no person had any reason to take the life of another irrespective of the differences.