It was difficult picking my pen to write for today’s edition. Very difficult as I am yet to recover from reported death of the slain Director of Protocol, Deputy Governor’s office, Chief Laz Anyanwu. It was difficult because of the manner he was abducted and later killed.
We were not close until later part of 2007. Before my appointment as Chief Press Secretary (CPS) to a Speaker in 2007, I only met Laz during public and government functions when he worked with the Achike Udenwa government as Government House Protocol officer.
But in Imo State House of Assembly, we shared pet names and were bossom pals alongside other nice and social guys. He called me, Charlie Papa Sierria (CPS) while I reply with Papa Osca for P.O. (Protocol Officer) those were security words we use for radio communication. And it continued.
The moments we had together in Imo House of Assembly was eventful and robust. When he left Government House to join us in the Assembly complex, his presence changed our protocol movements and modus operandi. He added value to our protocol department and tutored other folks in the unit. A very good mixer and socialite who would not hesitate to share some bottles of drinks with one when any chance appears, one aspect of late Laz Anyanwu’s lifestyle that thrilled me was his good dress sense and fashion. No wonder many members of the immediate past House enriched their wardrobes courtesy of him. As a humble and simple person, Anyanwu would always be in the front seat with the driver and never enjoyed the back seat of a car like most chauffer-driven government officials.
Ever cheerful, friendly and unassuming, Laz Anyanwu during his lifetime was willing to teach, educate and impact professional touches while undertaking his duties as a protocol officer. His death and the circumstances surrounding it speak volume of the level of insecurity in the state.
It would be recalled that this newspaper has been raising fears about the level of insecurity in Imo state through its reports. Even before star actress and an aide to the Imo State Governor, Nkeiru Sylvanus was kidnapped, Imo Trumpeta in a bold front page headline wrote “Otokoto Back To Imo Again”, with reports of headless lifeless bodies littered on the road. In the last edition before Christmas and New Year break, the newspaper again was out with a screaming headline “Kidnappers’ Fever Grips Returnees”, where Trumpeta reckoned that both abroadians and those residing outside the state are scared over increased kidnap menace. Barely two weeks after these reports, hell has been let loose and a prominent civil servant working in the seat of power has become a victim.
Again, his death has generated mixed reactions, in my usual pattern which I have imbibed since this year, I clicked online for reactions and sunnewsonline and pointblank.com
AnthonyIloegbunam
The Evil that Men Do lives after them. Who knows who they used him to step on their Toes? The Activities of officers and men/women attached to Govt houses, if u know them well, they are the Defacto Govs in the making. Their actions are far too much more than that of the state Gov’s. No money was demanded, but was found Dead. Its a Big lesson to those that Mill around Gov’s.
This kidnappings and killings in Imo state is taking a new twist and the state government should take proactive measures to curb this menace.
tawanda20
The jungle system claims another victim,thank God,I will never raise a child back home….very sad indeed.
Johnpauljones732
My brother this is unheard off a civil servant ,,I guess there was deal or raw one for that matter. May his soul rest in peace..
Geraldo
Too Bad!
Titus
The same way Buhari and el Rufai started boko haram in the north is what IMO is sliding into if care is not taken
Frank
Please comment intelligently.
jo
Callous response, even if you had a problem with this man your comment should not even be published. Rather than spit out hate, a decent person would offer condolence and if need be a constructive criticism. Shame that many online publications allow such inhuman words to be vomited onto the web. The south east , Delta and Edo states in particular should work together for the security of the region and to check these murderers. What is so wrong with installing CCTV all over the highways and atop government buildings? I blame the citizens who elect illiterates with bought diplomas to run the affairs of the state. I will not advice any decent human to visit these crime infested states, rather the Governors should look into additional security such as foot patrols, CCTV, community policing since state police is not an option at this time. To the man who was killed, may he RIP.
Ashiwaju-D-Ole
When evil men rule the masses suffer.Selling their duagthers to commisioners for marriage sake.
Owelle my man, you should sit-up to these challenges. You ought to know better that it must come for fighting pdp and “Ikiri” to stand-still. Thou not a citizen of Imo state bt i keep on praying for ur success there. Get urself ready in prayer ‘cos there is power in it. Owelle n’Igbo, I’m afraid enemies are closing-in. Rochas I’m afraid but will you allow them? God will provide the answer not you. May d soul rest in peace. The heartland of heartless people.
Ebiyi
What is happening in Imo state? whatever grudges has it degerated to killing,i guess some people are out to de-stablise the state.
Macduff
I thought we’ve outgrown such barbaric behavior
Anthony Etim
This is Imo Haram, Every stakeholder should get up against this please, killing is not the answer rather let Igbo embrace dialogues. We should also remember that we are XTians
PDP at work
Plain Truth
Kidnapped around govt., house? If really, then no place is safe in Imo state. May God help us. Amen.
Ikiri at work full stop. It is only in Nigeria that election loosers became terrorists. Buhari, IBB, Atiku lost presidential election the result is Boko Haram. Ikiri and his failed LGA chairmen formed Imo Haram. Nawoo, must every body win at the same time? In an election, there must be a winner and a looser. The earlier these criminals get this into their stinking fucking heads the better.
Echi
THIS IS A SAD COMMENTARY ON THE TIMES. Every thing hidden shall be made plain and open by the Lord who sees, knows and can do all things. The anointing for evil shall not overcome the anointing for good in our land IJN.
ugo
Those calling pdp should learn how to talk.
CAN A MAN GIVE WAT HE DOES NT HAVE D BIBLE ASKED,IF IMO GOVT CANT PROVIDE SECURITY IN GOVT HOUSE WAT D RURAL AREAS,DIS AN INDICTMENT DAT D GOVT HAS FAILED IMO PEOPLE
Prince Jimmy
This is absolute rubbish and lie. The sun newspaper shld always do thorough investigation bf bringing out news for us or pple to read.
First and foremost, this is a man i know too well. Friendly and calm even to the PDP caucus.
Secondly, he was not kidnapped around govt house, but rather from his house.
The sun newspaper, pls do proper investigation bf bringing out news. Thanks.
His death is however painful to those of us who knew him as a friend, and may God reveal who so ever is responsible for cutting down the young man at his prime, bc he was a civil servant with great mind and very very bright future too. RIP Laz
OKOCHA GO ON UR KNEES YOU NOW NEED GOD TO CALM ALL THESE COLD WARS GOING ON IN IMO STATE.
Eazyboyy
Dis Sun papers sef! Are u guys for or against Okorocha? How does someone kidnapped in his house linked to government house? U guys and Ikiri(PDP) has a case to answer! GBAM!
Owerri
This is Ohakim,s making and his PDP’s die hard supporters like Akuewulufavour, they should be located, they have vowed to make IMO state ungovernable. Pls declare Ohakim wanted now, he is a devil incarnate. He is trying to introduce an alien habit in the state, iron fisted hand should be deployed to handle Ohakim and his cohorts, remember many of them will be under cover now in the state, light must comprehend over forces of darkness. Ohakim ! Ohakim !!, Ohakim !!! Ohakim !!!! Ohakim !!!!!, Ohakim !!!!!! How many times have I have I called you.
Prince Jimmy
@Owerri, pls call a spade a spade. Dont bring Ohakim into this matter bc he has nothing to do with it. U guys were wrongly informed by Sun newspaper, and must u also display ur lack of articulation and good judgement? Pls, this is a well known guy, even to the PDP. Let us stop joining issues here just bc this guy worked for the govt. May be u go ask his family, then ur judgment will be better. Tnx
Naso
kessy ndimele
its absolutely wrong in igbo land
Idoko okefe
It is just a matter of time, everything will come to reality.
AGOM
ohakims men @ work
Henry
Rochas shuld go n lean how 2 be a governor,is not a matter of winning election. Their is enof hideout 4 terrorist bc dia is enof hotels: Heroes square,heroes park,heroes villa,Imo Ecunumenical hotel etc,not 2 tok of Concord,All seasons, Rock view. Go n visit Shoprite Enugu,can’t Imo invest on such commercial instead of hotels evry corner. Imo Ntoooo
Emmanuel Omeh
Only JESUS can save.
philosopher
Whatever a man sows he reaps! No sinner will go unpunished.The law of karma will start first in this earth and Divine judgement hereafter. GodblessNigeria.
UWAOMA
Owelle should leave the office….he is a looser.
benson tamino
That is why they say imolites are fools. How can you open your naive brain and ignorant mind and accuse ohakim of what you are not sure if he has his hand in if you are called up in the court of law to prove it can you do it ? And when did he say that he will make this government ungorvernable ,why fighting a war that is not your war. People should mind how they use there tongue in the civilised world.
Pls my dear people of Imo state stop all this instigations .
Good Citizen
@ Owerri, stop this madness, what is the basis of your conviction? Stop castigating Ohakim in this forum, so that you will not be judged in the way you judge people.
Land Of Possibilities
PDP AT WORK
ug
he who comes to equity must come with clean hands. Men should learn to live their lives unto God. Money and Women are not everything.
kola amodu
Owerri bastard u’re very daft, if u can start to accused ohakim without any reason . Can u pls tell us how u got ur information. Am sure u’re one of de boys that get their monthly allowance from 0okorocha. I never know u’re this daft. Am surprised ur brother hugo swine has not commented on this issue yet. I knw u’re both bastard jews. Onye ara.
Nwa Onyia Mbelede
RIP. GOD will surely judge the murderers QED. What and see.
Nonso
What a sad news in imo state.
Chuka
It is very surprising to read on this media submissions that is just one minded. How do you link PDP and poor Ohakim to this- i can see every supporter of Rochas is sick in their mind with Ohakim- for everything that goes wrong in Imo State- you start shouting Ohakim, PDP. They have been out of power for over 2 years now and it is time for us to blame Rochas for anything that goes wrong now in Imo State. This Rochas i am sorry has been a problem person right from the on-set. I have followed him from pre-election statements to post election statements- my conclusion is-he is a man who likes causing problems, he seems to forget that you can’t fight people that you rule, but try to convince them to work with you irrespective of their party affiliation. This Man must be stupid indeed and i am not surprised at all that i hear about the state now, because i knew right from his first statement post election that he is a senseless man, take it or leave it.
Rogers
I heard imo state government under anayor okorocha,is habouring kidnapers,in the same government house of ours,all this senseless hungry folks that are calling ohakim are naïve and can not see a good direction to follow unless the get to grave expecially owerri,..police arrested a government official who masterminded the kidnaping of nkiru,shame to this abaracataba government,snake eat snake….keep calling ohakim,and the government will continue loosing its popularity,may ur soul rest in peace bro laz.
Nwachukwu Phil
PDP EASY BEFORE YOU ALL WE DIE AND GO TO HELL.
kabir gimba suleiman
Okorocha should be prayerful and should on no account negotiate with kidnappers or else kidnapping will never stop,because it will be seen as a business. it is clear that enemies are at work and shuold know that oppositions are not happy with is good work. may God help us.
donald
No sorry 4 anyone. all politicians are d. same.
Rhema
Imo State is on the news again for the wrong reason. While other states work towards developement, the state is venturing towards anarchy. If the people of Borno state had known the effects of hostilities to their economy, they would not have haboured members of Boko Haram. JTF is winning the war b/c they’ve realized. So Imo, must you destroy your years of labour as a result of political differences? Until investigation is concluded no one has the moral/legal right to point accusing fingers.
H
God punish all of you calling ohakim,is the hand work of ur owelle who sack all the people that ohakim gave job to ensure that youths are engaged,ur criminal governor sack them,idle man is a devils workshop,u can see the level of crime and poverty since this administration,the problem is that you guys are been deceived by this ur governor,he is a confirmed 419,you can see how imo is now,”the more watch the less you see” only him and his families are enjoying,his SA’S PA’S some are not from this imo state,can u tell me governor that appoint SA and pa that is not from his state,empower youths here crime will go,every day just make noise,sacked chairmen and councilors,refused to obey court orders,why won’t be crime in imo state,please lets youths rise up stop crime lets chase these evil men out of power so that we can form a government that can build industries in imo and youths will get job and stop crime,ur owelle is a failure and selfish man.
Owerri
@ H, thanks for ur understanding, first for admitting that the murder was committed by Ohakim,s men that felt aggrieved as a result of their retrenchment in the state,s civil service commission. What other reason(s) that made them to shed innocent blood is unacceptable before men and God, such action/in actions has duely implicated the former, by antecedent a bloody tasted human.
Owerri
@ Kola Amodu, pls i,m quite dismayed about your remarks therein. Your,s predicaments towards your junior brothers that drowned themselves at Arepo village has dainted your reasoning as a bereaved person you are, i expected you to be off line pending when your little senses will return back to you.
Udam Ochiaghandigbo
Okorocha is becoming like “Dr.” Orji Uzor Kalu, except that Okorocha’s thuggery is being perfected and more brutal than Orji’s. Isn’t it the same thing that Ohakim was doing that sent him packing from the Government House? As I said before, Okorocha is shapping to be a one term governor.
tommy
na me dem won kidnapp,who else dem go kill if not them,kill dem all.
justman
yesterday it was abia state n today imo state. from kidnapping it will generate to sect n before you know it properties will destroyed n lives lost. imo citizens both home n abroad are hardworking people n would’nt want our beloved state to be besieged by criminals.okorocha should sit up n know that enemies are in the govt house,lmolites should see it as a war n confront it with their last energy,police should not be involved in this war but the army n sss.
Tony Maris
No ransom was demanded,they are purely hired to assassinate.Who knows the next victim.Rochas should be very careful with those he dine and wine with.
Rochas should learn from Amaechi of Rivers State who was able to rid Port Harcourt of hoodlums and killers. He sent hundreds of special mobile police anti-terrorist squad to Israel for training by their secret service (MOSSAD). The Israeli’s are still involved in maintaining security in Rivers State. Rochas has to be proactive. Perhaps, unknown to many, it was this crack counter terrorist squad that rooted the kidnapping gang from Aba and Ukwa in Abia State. The army only did the back-up and mopping out operation. I don’t know how many smart guys Rochas has in his administration. From what I have so far seen most of them are toady (sycophants) and self-seeking. We know the nature of Imo State; only people tend to forget easily: remember Otokoto (same 419ners); late OGB and Mr. Agwatu (another director general) were killed during Udenwa Administration. The same wicked people or cabal is at work. It is the PDP cabal. Yes, some of them deflected to APGA in Imo State. Rochas was also from the PDP. Could this be an in-house PDP fighting. I weep for my beloved Imo. What am saying is that Rochas has enemies both within his administration and outside. He is making some people angry by his high-handedness. He is trying his best given the situation of things in Imo State by the time he took office. Imo then was a land where fear reigned. People, including my humble self, parked their vehicles for fear of being attacked. We are gradually descending to those dark days of fear and terror. Imo State needs security and private sector investment, to provide jobs for the jobless youths. SECURITY should be the number concern for Rochas. It is only the person who is alive that can dream of tomorrow. I hope I am not wasting my time writing this? Do you ever think any of these politicians ever read our comments?
Igbos are not known for this please.
Amasike Iheoma
H n other people taking bad abt Rochas Okorocha govt pls u guys shud stop cos d bible condems wot u all ar saying against ur leader, he is a man like every one of us. I fink d only tin we ought 2 do as gud citizens is 2 alwz pray 4 our leaders 4 God 2 give dem d ability 2 lead well n nt say bad abt dem. B it ohakim, Pdp, apga or rochas dosnt make any meaning in dis matter cos d deed hs already bin done n we as individuals hv a very big role 2 play 4 d betterment of our state by informing d govt abt any evil movment or people u notice in ur locality i believe every one hv a major role 2 play 2 curb all dis eveil in Imo state. As 4 d man dat died i pray God 2 accept his soul..
Opara . C from U.K
It is unfortunate , Imo State is gradually descending into lawlessness. How can all these evil tend to happen in one of the most Godly and peaceful State in Nigeria. The government and people of the State should rise to occasion and get ride of these wicked and blood taste individuals out of the State. Security is the general responsibility of the entire citizenry not Government a lone. We did it in 1996, we can do it again. Those who kill another for what ever reason must expect death at its door step. What so ever you soul you must reap. Wickedness is for the evil ones, that which you set out do to your fellow being must get back to you in double potion. May the soul of the departed rest in the Lord.
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