The murder, on Monday (September 8) of Sabinus Ordu, an uncle of Governor Rotimi Amaechi, cannot be divorced from politics, the Rivers State Government has said.

The octogenarian Mr. Ordu, a career civil servant and Vice Principal of Community Secondary School, Aluu, Ikwerre Local Government Area, was murdered in his farm in Ubima when he went to check his traps.

The Rivers State Government yesterday condemned his murder and tasked the police to track down and apprehend his murderers. Commissioner for Information, Mrs. Ibim Semenitari, said at a media briefing in Port Harcourt, the state capital:

“The late Mr. Sabinus Ordu, who is an uncle to Governor Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, returned home in the afternoon from CSS, Aluu where he was the vice principal and told the boy staying with him that he was going into the bush to check his traps after having a meal.

“He then mounted his mo­torcycle and left for the bush, but did not return until it was night. At about 8:00 p.m., the boy raised an alarm which attracted the villagers. A search party was sent to look for him.

“The search party, on their way into the bush, saw the victim’s motorcycle by the bush path, and im­mediately went into the bush where they found his lifeless body, mutilated with several machete cuts. The matter has been reported to the police at Elele, while his remains have been deposited at the morgue.”

Condemning the murder, Semenitari said: “We are concerned about this development, especially because these are obvious signs as we get closer to the general elections. We don’t want to point fingers or cast aspersions, but Mr. Ordu was only a civil servant and a peace-loving man. He was a simple citizen and was not into government contracts.

“Perhaps, his only crime was that he is related to Governor Amaechi. We are calling on the police to bring Mr. Ordu’s killers to book. This cannot be another mys­tery murder; this cannot be another unresolved murder case. The people of Rivers State will continue to re­sist the murder of innocent people.

“God alone gives life and only God can take a life. This is a crime against the innocent and the poor.”

Linking the murder to politics, the commissioner said: “At this point, we are unwilling to cast any aspersion. We hope it is not politically motivated. We can’t adduce any reason for the murder. Every indicator points to the strong likelihood that this was politically motivated.”

•Photo shows Governor Amaechi.