Police confirm killing of businessman in Ebonyi by gunmen

By The Citizen

The Ebonyi police command on Friday confirmed the shooting and killing of one Chukwudi Uto, a cement dealer, by unknown gunmen.

The Public Relations Officer of the command, Mr Chris Anyanwu, who confirmed the incident in Abakaliki, said the command had commenced investigation into it.

Anyanwu said Uto was shot and killed by the unknown gunmen on Thursday at Ezzamgbo Junction on the Abakaliki-Enugu expressway opposite the Ohaukwu local government headquarters.

“The victim, a father of one child, hails from Amike community,” the spokesman said.

An eyewitness who pleaded anonymity said the incident happened around 9.30 p.m. at a drinking joint in the area where Uto was celebrating his recent acquisition of a truck for his cement business with two friends.

“The gunmen shot him thrice on the chest in the midst of his two friends and collected the keys to his truck.

'The two gunmen invaded the area with a bus and demanded for the key of the vehicle.

They collected it and later shot him three times in the chest,” the source said.

The corpse has been deposited at an undisclosed mortuary.

The Chairman of Ohaukwu local government, Mrs Chinyere Elom, said the council had mobilised and intensified efforts to track the perpetrators of the act.

“I have gone to the police headquarters in Abakaliki to brief the Commissioner of Police, Mr Maigaro Dikko, on the incident,” she said.

She advised the people of the area to remain calm and go about their business as the situation was under control.