Kwara State Commissioner of Police, Late Mr Chinwike Asadu
Enugu State Governor, Mr. Sullivan Chime, Monday announced a N10 million reward for anybody or group of persons that volunteers information leading to the arrest of the killers of Kwara State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Chinwike Asadu.
Asadu was shot dead last Saturday by unidentified gunmen less than 50 metres to his private residence located within Amorji-Nike in Enugu East Local Government Area, Enugu State. He hailed from Onuiyi community in Nsukka Local Government Area of the state.
His police orderly, Aloha Olaniyi, and driver, Oliver Omeh, who were also shot during the attack, are receiving treatment at the National Orthopaedic Hospital, Enugu.
His killing has continued to generate reactions as three opposition political parties – the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) and the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) – monday expressed shock and sadness at his death.
The police, which have been ordered by the Inspector General of Police (IG), Mohammed Abubakar, to fish out the killers within the shortest possible time, said yesterday that no arrest had been made in connection with the incident.
The widow, Mrs. Oby Francisca Asadu, recalled her husband’s last moments before he was killed, saying he was in high spirits when he arrived home for the weekend and had no premonition that that weekend would be his last with his family.
Chime, who visited the Asadu family to commiserate with them, described the incident as a big embarrassment to not only the police, but to the country at large.
The governor was accompanied on the visit to the Asadu family home by the Speaker of the House of Assembly, Eugene Odoh; Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Chairman in the state, Chief Vita Abba; Chief of Staff to the governor, Mrs. Ifeoma Nwobodo; and the Commissioner of Police in the state, Tonye Ebitibituwa.
He said the killing was shocking and dastardly, adding that no effort would be spared to fish out the culprits.
“This is most embarrassing not just for the police, but to the nation. For a senior police officer to be killed in such a manner, to me is quite unfortunate and the state government has decided to take a position on this in order to show the seriousness of what has happened, it has followed a pattern.
“What they do now is to follow and kill people with escorts; they kill and collect the guns of their victims. I think it has taken a pattern. So we are offering N10 million to anybody that will give us information that will lead to the arrest of the culprits to show the seriousness. It is quite embarrassing,” he said.
The governor promised that the state would provide all the necessary assistance to security agencies to ensure that Asadu’s killers are not only tracked down, but brought to book.
He expressed regret that Asadu suffered such a cruel fate after many years of dedicated service to the nation, adding that his killing was even more disheartening as he was close to retirement from service when he was murdered. He was billed to retire in May.
Chime extended his condolences to Abubakar, the bereaved family and the government and people of Kwara State, assuring them that the people of Enugu State shared in their grief and outrage over the unfortunate incident.
Responding on behalf of the bereaved family, the first son of the late police chief, Onyekachi, expressed appreciation to the police command in the state, the governor and the nation at large for their condolences.
The widow said Asadu had no idea that death was lurking around the corner when he arrived Enugu last Saturday, the same day he met his death.
“We live here in Enugu and my husband came back on Saturday and it’s quite unfortunate to see this kind of thing happen to us,” she said while battling to control tears.
Also, a crowd of sympathisers thronged the residence of the late Asadu to condole with his family, even as a heavy police presence was evident at the family residence when THISDAY visited the place.
A condolence register with the police chief’s portrait has also been opened.
The Police Public Relations Officer in the state, Ebere Amarizu, who said no arrest had been made so far, added that the police were making efforts with a view to tracking down the killers.
Opposition parties, which condemned the killing of the police chief yesterday, urged the police high command to do all it could to prevent a recurrence.
ACN, APGA and ANPP, in separate statements, urged the IG to ensure that he brings the killers to justice.
ACN said the death of the police commissioner was symptomatic of the worsening security situation in the country, adding that it had reinforced the belief in certain circles that Nigeria was fast becoming a failed state.
The party, in the statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, said if such a high-ranking security officer could be so cheaply gunned down, then no one was safe.
ACN said it was imperative to catch the perpetrators and bring the full weight of the law to bear on them because nothing portrays a nation as a failed state more than when security agents, on whose shoulders lie the responsibility of protecting lives and property, themselves become easy targets for criminals.
“Because of their onerous tasks, the police personnel and other security agents deserve reinforced level of security. They need to be alive and well before they can protect the lives and property of others.
“That is why one of the indices of a failed state is anarchy, which starts when security agents become targets of attacks and criminal elements overwhelm the state security apparatus.
“Attacks on police and military formations, killing of security agents, out-of-control armed robbery and pervasive kidnapping, just to mention a few of the security challenges facing our nation, are pointers to the fact that our country is fast becoming a failed state, irrespective of what government apologists may say or the spin they may put on things,” the ACN said.
APGA, in a statement by its interim National Publicity Secretary, Mr. Bernard Akoma, expressed outrage, saying if a high-ranking security officer could be so cheaply killed, then ordinary people have cause to worry.
“Asadu’s murder sends so many messages. One would have expected that a commissioner of police moves about with the full complement of police escorts.
“One would also imagine that a commissioner of police enjoys the protection of his colleagues once he is out of his own zone.
“What then went wrong in the case of Asadu? The police will have to assure us that they have the capacity to protect themselves in order to continue to earn our confidence,” the party added.
The ANPP, in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Chief Emma Eneukwu, said the bizarre development was another pointer that the Federal Government has failed in securing the lives and property of ordinary Nigerians.
Eneukwu pointed out that in recent times, Nigeria has been enmeshed in several unsolved mysterious deaths perpetrated by so-called unknown gunmen, thereby making the streets dreadful and the hinterland theatres of crime.
“We vehemently condemn this atrocious murder; it is a reprehensible action which ought to belong only to the imaginative plots of thriller movies.
“Our great party ponders, if a top-level law enforcement officer could be mowed down in such a manner, what then is the fate of the ordinary citizen or the low-ranking officer out there in the street?
“The answer is manifest, to the effect that this PDP government has failed in the cardinal duty it owes the citizens of this great country with whom it has a social contract: that of security,” ANPP said.
It urged the Federal Government, the police and other law enforcement agencies to give their all in bringing the killers to justice.
Meanwhile, the atmosphere at the Kwara State Police Command headquarters, Ilorin, was sombre Monday as Asadu’s colleagues mourned him.
Senior police officers of the command converged on the headquarters to observe a minute’s silence in honour of the late Asadu.
The police flag beside the nation's flag at the police headquarters, was also flown at half-mast in honour of the late Asadu.
The state Deputy Commissioner of Police, Mr. Abdullahi Bube, told reporters that the police command had concluded arrangements to send a delegation, to be led by an assistant commissioner of police (ACP), to Enugu to condole with the bereaved family.
He described the late CP as a hard working, dutiful and simple officer, saying one might not identify him as a police commissioner until he was introduced as such.
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