On Thursday last week, one notable showbiz promoter and fast emerging entertainment guru before his life was cut short by heartless murderers, Noel Tochukwu was interred at his Akwu, Akokwa in Ideato North LGA of the state home.
Noel, was a United States of America, based showbiz operator who remembered home when the administration of Owelle Rochas Okorocha debuted. As part of his contribution to entertainment industry in the state, Noel came home to float a project “Imo Got Talent” before he met death in an Owerri-based hotel early February 4th, 2014. The manner Noel was killed has become a worrisome development to people of the state.
The belief in some quarters is that hotels provide safe grounds for people especially to visitor in an area. However, same cannot be said about Owerri, the state capital, said to be famous with growing number of hotels sprouting up daily in every available land space and corner. Reports have it that Noel was gruesomely murdered in a hotel room, in Owerri where he checked to relax after normal engagements.
Reports indicate that the hotel management was alarmed by gun shots in one the rooms after fleeing killers had done a dastardly act before leaving the Us-based entertainment outfit operator in the pool of his blood inside one of the hotel rooms.
Though, police recently at a press briefing at the Imo State command headquarters, Owerri, did announce that two persons have been arrested in connection to the matter and the suspects aiding operatives of the command to unravel circumstances surrounding the matter, not much has been heard on how the action was perfected and reasons for the suspected assassination. The heartwarming news of the capture of the suspected murderers said to be students of a higher institution in the state, the Alvan Ikoku Federal College of Education, Owerri, leaves much to be desired as police not only failed to inform journalists how the command arrived at the arrests but also failed to parade the detained suspects before newsmen, to tell their side of the story.
This unconventional approach to news briefing arouses more suspicion in the unfolding events about Noel’s murder even as police may have been cautious in exposing details to avoid jeopardizing on going investigations.
Reports also have it that until his unwarranted death in the hands of the dare devil killers, the slain Noel is said to be close to corridors of power. I cant confirm this fact, but his comrades in the showbiz field revealed in several social media posts that he related well with top government officials in Imo state concerning the Imo Got Talent Project. Noel’s pictures during his lifetime with ranking public office holders were also displayed and that could be the reason why eye brows were raised that no government official or representative played vital role and was present for his final journey back home. It was a public affair that Noel’s pet project for youths in the state “Imo Got Talent” enjoyed patronage and backing from the state government to warrant attention during his burial.
Ironically, Noel’s gruesome murder came barely a year after a renowned figure in the protocol department of the state civil service, especially in Government House, and Protocol Officer to impeached Deputy Governor, Laz Anyanwu was also killed. Anyanwu whose one year memorial service was marked in January this year at Obodo Amaimo in Ikeduru LGA was on his way back home at Irete, near Owerri on January 7, 2013 to get set for the new job after the yuletide season, when gunmen accosted him at the entrance of his house and forcibly took him away to unknown destination. Initially, his attack was mistaken for kidnap incident but the discovery of his lifeless mangled corpse on Owerri-Orlu road was ominous signs that there are more than the eye can see in the whole scenario. Similarly, Anyanwu has something to do with government as the Chief Protocol Officer to the Deputy Governor. It was not only Laz Anyanwu that was moved down during the present dispensation, one Aduba who was in charge of administration in Speaker Uwajumogu’s office died in similar circumstances. He was hacked down by merciless killers at his Okuku-Owerri West homestead by gunmen two years ago.
Remarkably, the mentioned cases are not the only high profile murder cases associated with assassination witnessed in Imo state. In my own account since I came into the state from Lagos to continue journalism practice, I have witnessed some cases. What heralded my entry to Owerri as pioneer Chief correspondent in Imo with now rested New Age newspapers, was the killing of a former appointee of the governor who was gunning for the senate position for Orlu zone, Chief Ogbonna Uche (OGB). The incident had occurred few days before I was assigned to proceed from Lagos to Owerri as state correspondent early 2003. I learnt that OGB, from Arondizuogu, in Ideato North who was one of the aides of then Governor, Achike Udenwa, was the ANPP flag bearer for the Orlu zone senatorial contest after he lost in PDP primaries. The intrigues surrounding the build up to that race and how he left his former party, PDP, to pick ANPP ticket will be better told by political historians in the state. But one fact is obvious, OGB, was assassinated on the streets of Owerri not even the after the former Port Harcourt based accountant turned politician, had raised alarm of suspicious moves around him. The rest is history, but may his gentle soul continue to rest in peace.
Another disturbing assassination that followed suit was that of one career civil servant who the people of Onicha in Ezinihitte Mbaise LGA, may not be in a hurry to delete in their memory, late Theodore Agwatu.
Agwatu was a director of accounts in charge of Government House during Udenwa’s second tenure. One morning, news filtered in that Agwatu is no more, no thanks to yet to be apprehended killers who were reported to have scaled the face of his private residence somewhere in World Bank Housing Estate, New Owerri, to sniff life out of the man who had a wife and children.
Why these people were killed and those responsible for the orchestrated assassination remains a puzzle for security agencies untie, Agwodinuju Column job is to refresh the minds of readers, that this dastardly acts could be at anybody’s bus stop either way if unchecked in the state.
Similarly, residents of the state, especially those with taste for social public functions of the state government will not forget in a hurry the sound voice of another Mbaise product, Uche Ogbe. Ogbe until his untimely death was a teacher at Alvan Ikoku College of Education, but featured prominently in public, private and government functions as a Master of Ceremony (MC). The slain lecturer in languages was a household name in comprere business in the state until eight years ago when he was found dead in his office at Alvan premises during the day. Also, I am not competent enough to narrate how he met his gruesome murder as he was confirmed death with pool of blood and body mutilations inflicted on him by yet another suspected fleeing assassins.
I am also aware that there are other numerous and recorded minor assassination cases which passed unnoticed in the state because of the hidden profiles and perhaps disadvantaged identity of the concerned victims.
This form of premeditated life-snatching exercise is not limited to Imo State alone as similar unwholesome acts are recorded in other parts of the country. Going down memory lane, one significant incident concerning a reputable name in the field of journalism, Dele Giwa, before he was sent to the great world beyond, as well as the mystery behind the killing of a serving minister, Bola Ige in his house.
Dele Giwa is a renowned figure in the print media industry. Until his death via a bomb letter which the necessary authorities are yet to unravel, late Giwa was among the founding publishers and editors of Newswatch magazine during the military era. At that time, former Military Head of State, Gen Ibrahim Babangida (rtd) was at the helm of affairs of the country and Newswatch was a flourishing magazine and a must read to all Nigerians. However, later Giwa received a letter loaded with bomb which exploded moments he attempted to open it. That episode of the 80’s gave rise to bomb-letter phobia that has griped Nigerians in recent times.
Late Bola Ige, SAN, was a politician and constitutional lawyer noted for his famous “Sidon the look” late approach to politics after he become a governor in one of the Western states during the second Republic.
But Ige made a volte face of his “Sidon the look” approach when he decided to accept Former President Olusegun Obasanjo offer as Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice of. How Ige’s security aides threw their flanks open for suspected assassins to get a better part of their principal who was killed in his Osun state home troubled investigators and relevant courts where the matter is getting attention till date.
With 2015 election fast approaching, coupled with changing political climate with intending political office seekers employing several tactics and subterranean means to outsmart opponents, the killing of US-based show promoter inside a hotel room in Owerri is a sinister development capable of frightening residents of the state. The dastardly act has further demonstrated that insecurity reigns in the state. Irrespective of claims by both security agencies and state government that they are winning the war against criminals, high rate of unwholesome acts subsists.
Noel’s recent brutal murder and that of Anyanwu which occurred a year ago should be a wake up call to concerned stakeholders in protection of lives and property, to devise a means of ensuring water-tight security and prompt response to emergency challenges. The increasing tempo in political arena requires adequate proactive responses from police, Directorate of the State Security Service, (SSS), Nigerian Army, Civil Defence, Imo Security Network and other bodies concerned in the protection of lives and property. The state government especially, the state governor who is the Chief security officer of the state should go beyond mere rhetoric in handling security issues by ensuring adequate empowerment and provision of logistics. Other sectors like the hospitality industry should comply to acceptable rules by engaging the services of security operatives and installation of necessary security gadgets to ward off unwarranted experience in their hotels and relaxation spots. Since nobody knows who next could be a victim of the hovering assassins the concerned state and federal government bodies that monitor the hospitality industry should imbibe zero tolerance in the discharge of their duties. More so, the police as a matter of fact should not sweep under the carpet outcome of the investigation the command recorded from the suspected killers of Noel.
