Imo bizman was murdered by soldiers -Family insists

Photo: Late Noel Ezeribe Chigbu

From Athan Agbakwuru, Owerri

The Chigbu Family of Umuocham Ntu in Ngor Okpala LGA of Imo State have declared that their son, brother, husband and father, late Mr Noel Ezeribe Chigbu, who was shot dead by soldiers on Friday 30th April, 2021 was intentionally murdered by the army officers allegedly on a checkpoint near Amakohia Flyover in Owerri, the state capital.

The family made the assertion in a petition dated 04th May, 2021 addressed to the Brigade Commander, 32 Artillery Brigade,Obinze and copied to Governor Hope Uzodinma of Imo State, Chief of Army Staff, Chief of Defence Staff, Senate President, Speaker, House of Representatives, Department of State Services, DSS, and Commander of Nigeria Army 82 Division, Enugu, the media and civil society organizations, CSO, among others.

In the petition signed by elder brother of the deceased, Mr Tobechi Chigbu, the family stated, “A close examination of the deceased person’s vehicle in which he was assassinated reveals that there were no bullet holes on the driver’s seat or its headrest to suggest that he was shot from behind as may be deduced from the shattered back windshield.

“Rather we are inclined to believe that he was assassinated while his car was stationary from open driver’s and/or front passenger’s door and his assailants later broke the back windshield to cover up their heinous crime.”

The petitioner, on behalf of the Chigbu family requested authorities of the Nigerian Army to immediately identify and  prosecute the team of soldiers who perpetrated the evil act who he said we’re “ostensibly under your command and control” just as he further requested for explanation of the incident leading to the killing of his sibling by the operatives.

He also demanded the cooperation of all those petitioned and the general public to ensure that justice is done and seen to have been done in the matter in order to ensure reasonable closure to the dastardly murder of his innocent brother as well as end a recurrence of such mindless killing of civilians with impunity by bloodthirsty soldiers.

Photo: The widow and children of the late Chigbu

According to him, the deceased, Mr Noel Ezeribe Chigbu, an entrepreneur who owned and operated a Shawarma/ Fish Barbecue shop at Akwakuma area of Orlu Road, in the state capital, was sent to his untimely grave that fateful Friday, April 30, night while driving home, in his car, after close of work.

“On Friday, April 30, 2021, the deceased went to work at his shop and closed at about 09pm as usual. He headed back home to be with his family but did not arrive to see his expectant wife and children. All efforts to reach him by phone proved abortive between the hours of 2200 on Friday and 1730 hrs on  Saturday May 1, 2021 when a certain gentleman who introduced himself as a police officer took the call and invited us to the Control Room of Imo State Police Command headquarters, Owerri for further advice.

“At this point, we were partly relieved in the belief that he was potentially in custody as a result of some incident. I, in company of another sibling rushed to the said headquarters where we were informed that at about 0100hrs on the same Saturday May 1, 2021, a team of soldiers brought into their custody the deceased person’s vehicle with shattered back windshield, blood-soaked interior, mangled front tyres as well as some of his personal belongings. The police assured us that the team of soldiers wrote a statement before they left,” Tobechi recalled.

He went further to disclose that wife of his slain younger brother, Mrs Chidimma Chigbu who is about four months pregnant, her two children Sofia(girl) and Roy(boy) aged 3 and 2 years respectively and the larger Chigbu family have been thrown into ceaseless mourning by the killers of their breadwinner and guardian.

It would be recalled that although there is no official imposition of dusk to Dawn curfew in Imo State, several hapless civilians have been murdered in cold blood by trigger-happy soldiers in parts of the state in recent weeks, with no one held accountable for the crime.