Politics
Nwonfu’s Assassination And Political Killings
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.
The Tide source reports that the committee, reportedly backed by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Chief Nyesom Wike, is making moves to reclaim the Wadata Plaza headquarters months after it was sealed following a violent clash between rival factions of the party.
Senior officers at the FCT Police Command told our source that while they had not received an official briefing, police personnel would be stationed at the secretariat and other key locations to maintain peace.
The Acting National Secretary of the Mohammed-led committee, Sen. Samuel Anyanwu, announced last week that the secretariat would reopen for official activities on Monday (today).
He dismissed claims that ongoing litigation would prevent the reopening, saying, “There are no legal barriers preventing the caretaker committee from resuming work at the party’s headquarters.”
However, the Tanimu Turaki-led National Working Committee (NWC) has fiercely rejected the reopening move, insisting that Sen. Anyanwu and his group remain expelled from the PDP and have no authority to act on its behalf.
Speaking with The Tide source, the committee’s National Publicity Secretary, Ini Ememobong, declared: “They are living in fool’s paradise. The worst form of deceit is self-deceit, where the person knows he is deceiving himself yet continues with gusto.
“Even INEC, which they claim has recognised them, has denied them. They are indulging in a roller coaster of self-deceit.”
Mr Ememobong further revealed that letters had been sent to both the Inspector-General of Police and the FCT Commissioner of Police, stressing that the matter was still in court and warning against any attempt to “resort to self-help.”
“The case pending before Justice Joyce Abdulmalik was instituted by the expelled members. They cannot resort to self-help until judgment is delivered,” he said.
He warned that reopening the secretariat would amount to contempt of court.
A senior officer at the FCT Police Command, who spoke on condition of anonymity, confirmed that officers would be deployed to the area to avert a repeat of the November 19 violence that led to the secretariat’s initial closure.
“The command would not stand by and allow a breakdown of peace and order by the party or anyone else. Definitely, the police will have to be on the ground,” he said.
Another officer added, “There will definitely be men present at the secretariat, but I can’t say the number of police officers that would be deployed.”
When contacted, the FCT Police Public Relations Officer, Josephine Adeh, said she had not been briefed on the planned reopening and declined to comment on whether officers would be deployed.
Asked to confirm whether the secretariat was initially sealed by police, she responded, “Yes,” but refused to say more about the current deployment plans.
The Kano State House of Assembly has debunked the purported impeachment plan against the Deputy Governor, Aminu Gwarzo.
The Tide source recalls that the Kano State Commissioner for Information and Internal Affairs, Ibrahim Waiya, recently sparked controversy during an interview session with a local radio station.
Mr Waiya called on the deputy governor to resign for failing to follow his principal, Gov. Abba Yusuf, in defecting from the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
However, the spokesperson to the Speaker of the state House of Assembly, Kamaluddeen Shawai, while addressing journalists in Kano on Saturday, described reports circulating in some media outlets about Mr Gwarzo’s impeachment as baseless and misleading, emphasising that no such plan is underway.
Mr Shawai further stated that the House remains focused on its legislative duties and oversight functions rather than engaging in speculative political manoeuvres.
The spokesperson urged members of the public and the media to verify information before sharing it, stressing the importance of accurate reporting in maintaining political stability in the state.
He said, “There is absolutely no motion or initiative within the House to remove the deputy governor.
“These reports are false and should be disregarded by the public. The deputy governor continues to serve in his capacity with full support from the House.
“Our priority is good governance and serving the people of Kano, not circulating rumours.”
She made the declaration during an interview with Nigerian football legend, Mr Segun Odegbami, during a live radio interview on Saturday.
Prof. Obasanjo, who is also former commissioner in the state, ruled out a return to the Senate, stating that her focus was firmly on the governorship race.
“So, moving ahead, I’m not going to be Commissioner. Like I said, I’m not even going back to the same party because I think that’s old and I don’t see the use of it. And I’m not going to go back to the Senate,” she said.
“Like the Americans would say, there’s no need. And this is what I told my associates, when this all started. I said, the only thing I’ll come back to do is the governorship.
“And we have started that journey. We are going to see it through. And so that’s the journey I’m on. And we are very serious about it. I mean we are very dedicated to it.”
The politician also confirmed that she recently joined the APC, explaining that her return to active politics followed persistent calls from supporters.
“Like I told you, a group of people who I did not bring together, have been working, I think, for two years now. And then they started talking to me about a year ago, saying, ‘Look, we think you are the best candidate. We want you back,’” she added.
Her declaration sets the stage for what may become a keenly contested governorship race in Ogun State ahead of the 2027 elections.
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