By AMBROSE NNAJI

Gunmen have killed a retired Customs Officer Mr Nkemakonam Ume-Agudosi at his home town Umuchu in Aguata Local Government Area of Anambra State.

Narrating the incident, the younger brother to Ume-Agudosi, Bertram Ume-Agudosi said the deceased who resides in Lagos State was invited to settle some family issues.

“That day, we were in our town hall in Umuchu to settle some family matters. Suddenly gunmen numbering over 15 stormed the meeting venue.

“The stern-looking gunmen broke my head with a hammer. I was bleeding profusely and people had to rush me to a hospital around our place.

“My brother was taken to one Catholic hospital around here where he later died. There was another of our brothers that the gunmen also killed,” he said.

Ume-Agudosi said there was no arrest yet, and no trace of the gunmen. However, we are not suspecting anybody for now, and there’s nothing we can do at the moment, “we have not met until we meet before we know what to do next,” he added.

Mrs Ijeoma Ikeh, second daughter to the deceased confirmed that the father was invited by Eze’s committee to settle a family matter. According to her, they normally hold meetings, especially when they want to handle cases of families.

“So, this committee is handling cases of different families, so they invited my father to come home for the meeting that was why he travelled,” she said.

She said that the father worked for the Nigerian Customs before his retirement. She described the father as a peaceful man, who loved gathering people together and making peace with people.

According to Ikeh, the father was someone who didn’t want to be idle, he wanted to be active, and so after his retirement, he went into business (computer and health care business).

She described the father as an easy-going person.

“He didn’t have any issue with anybody, he was a very simple person, and those who knew him described him as a good person, very friendly with people irrespective of tribe, religion or political interest,” she said.

She, however, noted that the family will not want to point accusing fingers at anybody yet.

“We just want to bring it to public notice. Even the police asked us if we were suspecting anybody but we said no for now. We don’t want any complications in the death of our father,” she stated.

Chairman, Ozara-Akukwa Village meeting in Lagos Mr Eusebius Ubaka, described Ume-Agudosi’s death as painful and disturbing for those of us in Lagos.

“Somebody that was invited to come home for a meeting and all we heard was that gunmen had taken his life.

“It’s very sad news for us here in Lagos; Nkemakonam was our member here in Lagos. We felt bad but there’s nothing we can do. It’s only God that knows the best,” he said. (The Nation: Excludes headline)

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