This is not the best of times for the Imo State Governor, Hope Uzordinma who is the Chief Security officer of Imo State where there had been series of killings everyday including the murder of the ex-aide to the former President Goodluck Jonathan, Ahmed Gulak on Saturday.
On Monday, Uzordinma made a public pronouncement on the death of Ahmed Gulak and the purported attack on his convoy.
Uzodinma, who spoke at a news conference on Monday in Imo, condemned the brutal assassination of Gulak, saying his death was a personal loss to him because he was an invaluable friend and brother whose sense of justice, fairness and uprightness endeared Gulak to him.
“I was shocked to my marrows when the sad news of his callous murder was broken to me. I was getting ready to go to church when the sad news came and I could not attend the service again. It was simply one of the most devastating news I have had in my life and I am yet to recover from the shock. It remains a puzzle to me why anyone would want to murder him in this gruesome and vicious manner.
“Alhaji Ahmed Gulak was in Imo State for a national assignment. He came to Owerri with the Senate Committee on Constitutional Amendment. Being a humble man, he chose to travel incognito according to his friend who was with him. Someone must have trailed him from the hotel to the airport. That is exactly why his gruesome murder appears to be a clear case of political assassination.
“According to reports by the police, he was shot in cold blood and the assailants did not remove a pin from him. It is most benumbing that people chose to waste such an innocent blood in such a dastardly and cowardly manner.
“Let me make it very clear that everything will be done by security agencies to find those who murdered Gulak and their sponsors. They will not by the grace of God escape their deserved punishment. This is not in our character as Ibos, not in our tradition nor in our culture. We must condemn this callous act,” he stated.
Uzodinma urged everybody to exercise restraint and allow the police to continue with their investigations, which he understood was already yielding positive results as some arrests had already been made.
He said it was reassuring that President Muhammadu Buhari, had assured the nation that the perpetrators of this heinous crime would be apprehended and punished.
“On our part as a government, we are not sparing any effort in ensuring that the murderers of this patriot are quickly arrested and prosecuted for their evil deeds.
“Imo people are very hospitable. The events of the last few weeks do not represent who we truly are.I believe that the ongoing police investigations will uncover the whole truth; it is common knowledge that those who are innocent need not be afraid.
“But the guilty will never go scot-free, certainly not in this instant case. Let me also through this medium commiserate with relations and families of victims of kidnapping, armed robberies, banditry and stray bullets in Imo state and to inform you that the government has been reaching out and will continue to reach out to all other victims,” he added.
He assured that the state government was committed to finding and punishing the killers.
Uzodinma also rubbished claims that his convoy was attacked, saying nothing like that even happened.
“Finally, let me also clarify the story trending on the social media platforms, that my convoy was attacked, my convoy was never attacked. That is the wish of those who murdered Gulak,” he said.
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