Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja, Igbawase Ukumba in Lafia and James Sowole in Akure
President Muhammadu Buhari and Governor Abdullahi Sule of Nasarawa State have vowed to fish out the killers of the Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Nasarawa State, Mr. Philip Shekwo, who was abducted by armed men from his residence in Lafia, the state capital, on Saturday night, and found dead yesterday.
The APC has also called on the Police and other relevant security services to fish out the killers of Shekwo.
The gunmen were said to have exchanged gunfire with the security detail attached to the APC chairman before whisking him away.
The state Police Commissioner, Bola Longe, who confirmed the incident, had said his men were combing forests and flashpoints to ensure that Shekwo was rescued.
But the spokesman of the state Police Command, Raman Nansel, yesterday revealed that Shekwo had been killed.
“We discovered his corpse today and it has been taken to the morgue for post mortem examination,” he said over the phone.
“Investigation has begun. We are determined to unravel the cause of the incident.”
Nasarawa State has witnessed a spike in the kidnapping of prominent individuals in the state.
The Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Works in the state, Jibrin Giza, was kidnapped in February and released after a ransom was paid.
The Chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) in the state, Joseph Masin, was kidnapped by gunmen in May, and he regained freedom after three days.
Sule had recently signed into law the state Kidnapping Prohibition Law 2020 in February, prescribing the death penalty for anyone convicted of kidnapping.
Meanwhile, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Mr. Garba Shehu, yesterday quoted President Muhammadu Buhari as saying that the nation’s security agencies must do more to end violence in the country.
Shehu, in a statement made available to journalists, and titled “President Buhari condemns killing of Nasarawa State APC chairman, Chief Shekwo,” further quoted Buhari as welcoming the decision of the Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, to send reinforcement to the state.
According to the statement, police investigation would determine if it was a case of assassination or kidnapping-related murder.
“The late APC Chairman was shot twice leading to his death. Police investigation is expected to determine if this was an assassination or kidnapping-related murder.”
Governor Sule has also assured that the assassins of the slain state chairman of the APC will not go scot- free.
Sule gave the assurance in a press statement issued to journalists in Lafia by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Ibrahim Addra, in reaction to the murder of the state APC chairman by gunmen at the weekend.
He said: “I will like to assure all that the perpetrators of this dastardly act will not go scot-free. “Investigations have already commenced by our security agencies who will do all it takes to hunt down these criminals and bring them to justice.”
Meanwhile, the Ondo State chapter of the APC yesterday decried the murder of Shekwo.
The Chairman of Ondo State APC, Mr. Ade Adetimehin, described the killing as unforgivable wickedness.
He implored security agencies to unmask the heartless murderers.
Also, the Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the party, Mr. Yekini Nabena, in a statement issued yesterday described the incident as “a dark day for the APC family.”
“We urge a thorough investigation by the police and other relevant security service to quickly fish out the sponsors and perpetrators of this evil, heinous and barbaric crime and made to face the full weight of the law.”
