Gunmen have reportedly shot dead Chief Linus Nwatu, the President-General of Oruku Town Union in Nkanu East Local Government Area of Enugu State.
The incident happened in the early hours of Saturday in a renewed gunmen attack on the community following a protracted communal crisis.
It was learnt that Chief Nwatu, a retired police officer, was shot dead by the gunmen who broke into his family house in the community.
He was killed the same day the community planned to bury Dennis Ike, a member of the community’s security outfit, who was shot dead on June 6, 2022.
The assailants laid an ambush for Ike, who was riding on a motorcycle at the time he shot him dead, his corpse and motorbike set ablaze before proceeding to torch houses of some persons in Oruku that fateful day.
In the like manner, the gunmen, apparently on a mission to forestall the burial of the slain Ike slated for yesterday, stormed Nwatu’s compound and murdered him in cold-blood.
A source who did not want his name in print alleged that Nwatu was killed because of his role in the conflict in the community.
Recall that the traditional ruler of Oruku community, Igwe Emmanuel Mbah, and several natives had been killed by hoodlums loyal to a faction in the communal dispute between December 2020 and now.
The traditional ruler was assassinated on December 26, 2020 and his killers are yet to be brought to book.
The police spokesman in the state, Daniel Ndukwe, did not take his calls to confirm the incident.