Tragedy struck in Enugu, South-East Nigeria, last night when the Kwara State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Chinwike Asadu, was shot dead by unknown gunmen. Mr. Asadu, who hailed from Enugu, had visited home from his duty post in Nigeria’s North-Central, only to meet his gruesome death.

The Lagos-based Vanguard which broke the news of his death said that his police orderly, Aloha Olaniyi, and driver, Oliver Omeh, who were with him at the time of the incident sustained serious bullet wounds and are now on danger list at the National Orthopaedic Hospital, Enugu.

According to the paper: ‘The incident occurred at Amorji Nike, near the densely populated Abakpa Nike area in Enugu East Local Government Area within the state capital at about 10pm.

‘The Police Commissioner, who reportedly visited his home in Enugu at the weekend, was driving into his private residence when the assailants who may have laid an ambush around his residence attacked him and his aides about 100 metres away from his house.

‘CP Asadu, according to sources, had a visitor whom he escorted along with his driver and a police orderly posted to guard his residence from Abakpa Police Division, leaving behind the official escort team that came with him from Kwara State Police Command.

‘They were returning to the house after dropping the visitor when they suddenly noticed a bus trailing them behind as they branched into his street only for the gunmen to start firing at the vehicle from the rear.

‘The gunmen were said to have shot sporadically, killing the CP and wounding the two policemen but before they escaped, they reportedly took away the rifle of the orderly whose body was riddled with bullets.

‘The orderly was shot on the chest, stomach, hands and leg while the driver was shot on his legs.’
The paper quoted a source as saying: “The CP was driving into his personal residence in Amorji Nike after dropping a visitor that night. He was with a police orderly and his driver at the time of the incident. Just about 100 metres to his house they noticed that a bus was trailing them behind and before they could know what was happening the gunmen opened fire and killed the CP instantly. His orderly and driver were also shot and they were seriously wounded.

“The gunmen ran away in their bus before the CP’s escort team that was inside his compound noticed what was happening. When the escort team and sympathisers rushed to the scene, they met CP Asadu and his orderlies in a pool of blood. They were rushed to the National Orthopaedic Hospital where doctors confirmed the CP dead. The other two policemen are now on admission at the hospital.”

Enugu State Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. Ebere Amaraizu, confirmed the incident, describing it as very unfortunate. He said that the late Anadu was on a private visit and promised that the police would do everything possible to fish out the assailants as investigations into the bizarre incident have already commenced.

The new Police Commissioner in Enugu State, Mr. Tonye Ebitibituwa, was said to have directed his men to conduct serious manhunt for the gunmen within and outside the state capital in order to track down the perpetrators without delay.

•Photo: Late Kwara State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Chinwike Asadu, who was shot dead last night close to his Enugu home.

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