By PAMELA EBOH, Awka

A man in his early 30s was over the weekend shot dead by gunmen on the eve of his wedding in Ihiala town of Anambra State.

News Express learnt that the deceased, whose name was simply given as Bright, went to Ihiala to pick his wife, Chinwendu, in company of his would-be best man and the chief bridesmaid. They were returning to Uli, also in Ihiala Council area, when tragedy struck.

Narrating the incident, his younger brother said that Bright was with one of the bridesmaids, while his would-be best man carried his wife.

His brother said: ?Bright was following the convoy of the motorcycles behind. He stopped at Ezego junction, Ihiala to put fuel in his motorcycle, but little did he know that he was headed to a destination beyond this realm.

?His best man and others who were ridding ahead of him thought that he was coming behind until they got to Abbott Boys Secondary School, Ihiala along the Onitsha-Owerri road when they discovered that Bright was not following them.

?The man got the shock of his life when, on getting to Ezego junction, he saw Bright lying in his pool of blood. He found out that Bright was shot twice in the head along the Onitsha- Ihiala ? Uli Expressway, just opposite Sky Prince petrol station near Okohia junction.?

According to him, witnesses at the scene confirmed that the yet-to-be-identified assailants, who were two in number, came from behind him riding in a motorcycle and shot him.

He added: ?The assailants commanded him to stop and hand over everything in his possession, including his phones, other belongings, as well as the motorcycle he was riding in. They took all the items and still killed.

?Anybody who knows Bright can attest to the fact that he will readily hand his own food to you just for peace to reign. These hoodlums took from him everything in his possession, including the food in a flask which they were going to eat that night.

?Even when he pleaded with them to let him live as he was about to wed, they shot their ears and hearts and denied him the singular joy of being a husband and a happy man.

?All his life, he served the Lord with all his might and heart. May God?s mercy preserve him and grant him the blissful entry into the bosom of the Father. We have lost you it appears, but we trust that heaven gained you.?

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