Former Governor of Anambra State, Mr Peter Obi has expressed shock at the death of Dr Chike Akunyili, husband of the former Minister of Information, and Director Generàl of NAFDAC, Prof Dora Akunyili, who was shot dead on Tuesday evening.
Obi who spoke to journalists said he was in Lagos on Tuesday for some functions when on Wednesday morning he got the news of the death of Akunyili on social media and immediately boarded a flight back to confirm it.
“I was lucky to get the first flight, and I landed in Owerri and moved straight to Iyienu Hospital in Onitsha, where I and his son identified him in the mortuary.
“He was not the only victim, there was his driver and police security aide. About nine people in all were involved in the shooting on Tuesday, and some of them were even headless, and it is now a problem identifying them.”
Obi said the killing of Akunyili who is a private medical practitioner remains a great pain to him and members of the Agulu community, where he (Obi) and the late Akunyili both hail from, stressing that he was an easy-going man.
“It is a very sad thing to think of. If you know Dr Akunyili, you will know that he cannot hurt anyone, not here in his village and not anywhere else. He is a good man who is so happy with himself.
“As for who his killers are, I can only say that no one knows, it is a very sad thing, and as I speak to you, Agulu people are in mourning.”
Unidentified gunmen had Tuesday evening killed Dr Chike Akunyili, in Onitsha, on his way from Onitsha to Enugu through the old road, at Eke Nkpor.
Daily post gathered that Akunyili had attended a lecture at Sharon Hall, All Saints Cathedral, Onitsha, which was organized by the University of Nigeria Nsukka Alumni Association (UNAA), Onitsha branch, in honour of his late wife, Prof Dora Akunyili, where he also received a posthumous award on her behalf.
