Micheal Akinola
Travelling to the Eastern part of Nigeria has become nightmarish following the kidnapping or assassination attempts on wealthy individuals. The most recent attempt was on a philanthropist, Chief Obiekwe Kingsley Chinedu, who holds the title “Onwa of Ukpor”, by the unknown gunmen suspected to be IPOB dissidents in his country home in Anambra State.
Chief Chinedu, also known as C.K.C Obiekwe, travelled to his village, Ukpor town, for the burial of his relation with his wife and children and escaped death by divine intervention.
Reliable sources stated that while Chief Chinedu was at home with his family, at night the gunmen stormed his home, shot sporadically and forcefully gained entrance into his compound.
However, before they could gain entrance into his palatial home, Chinedu managed to escape; ran into a nearby bush with his family and slept there till the next morning.
The gunmen forcefully disconnected the ignition of his SUV parked in the compound and escaped but was it later recovered in Umuchu town, Aguata Local Government area of the state.
This was confirmed by Chief Chinedu, who has not recovered from the shock over the nightmare. He was grateful to God Almighty for his escape with his family unhurt.
“Yes, they (gunmen) planned to finish me and my family. They attacked my home last week Sunday but we managed to escape. For now, I will not go back to my village until the security situation improves” he said.
Chief Chinedu explained that he was aware that the unknown gunmen had been monitoring his house in Ukpor town for sometime and he had been avoiding travelling home.
This time, he was unfortunate to have travelled home for the burial of a relation; they targeted him and came at night shouting and shooting at his gate.
“I was lucky to have escaped and ran into the bush with my wife and four children. After the incident, they have been threatening me with different phone calls that I should send the key of my Toyota Hilux pick up to my security guard so that they will come and drive it away for their use. And that if I do not do so, they will put fire on my mansion at Ukpor” Chief Chinedu said.
He explained that the gunmen were not even hiding because they were using known blocked phone numbers to threaten him, suggesting that they have taken over his entire Nnewi South Local Government area in the State.
This incident happened days before the Governor of Anambra State, Prof Chukwuma Soludo, imposed a curfew over the security situation in the state. It is not yet known when the situation will come to normal and people can travel to the different villages without any fear of molestation or kidnapping.
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