The Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, on Wednesday, September 29, denied ordering the murder of Dr Chike Akunyili, husband to late former Director-General of NAFDAC and Minister of Information, Prof Dora Akunyili.
The late Akunyili was killed by unknown gunmen on Tuesday.
The deceased was on his way from Onitsha to Umuoji at Afor Nkpor in Idemili North local government area of Anambra State.
Eye witness accounts revealed that he had attended a lecture at Sharon Hall, All Saints Cathedral, Onitsha; organized by the University of Nigeria Nsukka Alumni Association (UNAA), Onitsha branch; in honour of his late wife on Tuesday before he was murdered on his way home.
In a statement issued in the wake of the incident; the IPOB spokesman, Emma Powerful, vowed to arrest and deal decisively with those committing crimes in the region.
“Those who killed Dora Akunyili’s husband were the same people that killed Dora. They are the ones contesting the governorship election in Anambra State today.
“We have no issues with Chike Akunyili and we did not kill him. Those behind this act must stop this and stop using IPOB’s name. We don’t want anybody to blame IPOB because we must get them. This is pure political assassination going on in Anambra State. Agents are doing this to paint IPOB black in the face of the support and encouragement we are getting from our people.
“We know their plans and gimmick to discourage Biafrans who are encouraging and supporting us but it can’t work for them.
“In the near future those committing these atrocities in Imo and Anambra States will hear from IPOB…Our people should not blame us because we must get them.
“Had IPOB issued a statement regarding Anambra election, by now; traitors would have been ranting that it was IPOB that killed APGA and APC members at Nnobi junction last week.
“It is obvious that those that burnt Anambra Government House and other parts of the state some years ago are back to use intimidations and killings to subdue their opponents ahead of the governorship election in Anambra State,” IPOB noted.
In the same vein, the Department of State Services (DSS) has denied killing Dr. Chike Akunyili.
Dr. Akunyili, the widower of the late NAFDAC DG Prof. Dora Akunyili, was shot dead at Nkpor, Anambra State, on Tuesday, September 28, 2021.
In a statement signed by Dr. Peter Afunaya, spokesman for the DSS, the agency said allegations that its agents assassinated Dr. Chike Akunyili are spurious and illogical.
The spokesman said there was no basis for the elimination of Akunyili.
Afunanya stressed that the DSS cherishes life and believes in the rule of law, and it would track down those behind the murder.
The statement reads in part: “The attention of the DSS has been drawn to an allegation that its operatives killed Dr. Chike Akunyili.
“Also, the service was alerted to a social media video claiming that the ‘Nigerian DSS’ murdered security escorts at Nkpor, Anambra State on 28 September, 2021.
“The service hereby denies these allegations and wishes to clearly state that they are spurious and illogical. There was no basis for the DSS to kill the medical doctor or fellow law enforcement agents.”
The statement continues: “The public should, therefore, be wary of the false narratives by those desirous of using it (the Service) to cover up their heinous acts.
“The operations of these hostile elements are already well known in the public space and to the discerning.
“Moreover, their desperate effort to divert attention or deploy reverse psychology to deceive unsuspecting members of the public has become a stock in trade that has defined their patterns and trends. It is a matter of time before the law will catch up with them.