Senate Observes A Minute Silence to Mourn Chike Akunyili

By Deji Elumoye and Juliet Akoje

The Senate Wednesday observed a minute silence to mourn Dr. Chike Akunyili, who was brutally murdered by unknown gunmen at Afor Nkpor in Anambra State on Tuesday.

The Red Chamber mourned the deceased, who was the husband of the former Director General of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) and ex-Minister of Information, Prof. Dora Akunyili, following a point of order raised by Senator Uche Ekwunife (Anambra Central).

Coming under Order 43 of the Senate Standing Rules – Personal Explanation –Ekwunife noted with concern that on Tuesday, 28th September, 2021, Dr. Chike Akunyili was gunned down in a most gruesome and very horrifying manner at Afor Nkpor, Anambra State.

According to her, Chike Akunyili, until his death, was the Medical Director of St. Leo Hospital in Enugu.

She noted that he also was an established academician, medical director and one who had contributed to the development of healthcare in Nigeria.

Narrating the circumstance which led to his death, Ekwunife said: “Dr. Akunyili went to Onitsha to present a paper and receive an award at the memorial lecture put together by civil society organisations in honour of his late wife, Prof. Dora Akunyili, and was gruesomely attacked at Nkpor on his way home.”

The ranking senator also noted that lots of gruesome attacks and killings had been going on around the entire South-east zone especially Anambra, Enugu and Imo States.

She, therefore, urged the Inspector General of Police (IG) and other law enforcement agencies to step up action towards unravelling the perpetrators of the gruesome killings in Anambra State and other South-east states under the name of unknown gunmen.

Ekwunife also urged state governors of the South-east to rise up to their responsibilities of ensuring safety of life and properties of the citizens as enshrined in the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended).