• Governor Ugwuanyi places N5m bounty on Udeh’s killers 

The People of Ozalla community, Nkanu West Local Government Area of Enugu State, have vowed not to rest until the killers of their son, Engr. Dons Udeh were apprehended.

The members of the community came out in their numbers adorned in black and carrying various placards to protest what they described as “One murder too many.”

Udeh was kidnapped on the 22nd of April and his decomposing body was later found on the 26th at 9th Mile corner, Udi local government area of the state.

In a protest letter submitted to Enugu State Governor, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, Ozalla Development Union (ODU) said “We are resolved to treat this case as a matter of great importance and with utter dispatch to avoid this case falling into the bucket of numerous unresolved murder cases.”

The letter which was signed by the President General of the Union, Chief CNN Nwagbara, added that: “The deceased was an accomplished statesman, a community leader and a patriot who had held several positions at the Local, State and Federal levels including: the Secretary General, Ozalla Development Union, President General, Ozalla Development Union, State Secretary Peoples Democratic Party, Commissioner and member of Enugu State Executive Council, National Commissioner, Nigerian Communications Commission, Board member, National Drug Law Enforcement Agency and more recently, a governorship aspirant under the All Progressives Grand Alliance in the 2023 elections.

“He was a man who brought to bear his wealth of experience, capacity and strict sense of nation building to our own State and the nation at large. He had served creditably well in all the offices he had occupied to the admiration of the public. His footsteps in the democratic processes and institutions stand tall as ever.”

Ozalla people protesting Engr Dons Udeh’s murder at Enugu Government House on Wednesday

ODU expressed worry “why such a man of high pedigree should be murdered in such a cruel manner that depicts the public execution of the medieval era. This gruesome murder has traumatized our people and every right thinking member of the society.

“Though we are aggrieved but we have decided not to take laws into tour own hands being law abiding citizens. We are therefore constrained to write to your office knowing your penchant for due process and unblemished integrity to always ensure that justice is not only done but seen to be done in any case brought before you.

“We trust your establishment to conduct an intense forensic investigation into this dastardly act in other to reveal the perpetuators behind it and bring them to book as soon as practicable. This will not only bring closure to us but send a signal to others nursing similar criminal intents to steer clear. We are more than willing and ready to cooperate with you to achieve this set objective.

“As a seasoned public servant, we are mindful of the onerous challenge solving this murder will be on your shoulders judging from the circumstances surrounding the case. However, we are very much mindful of your capacity, competence and industriousness which you have always accorded your statutory obligations.

“We kindly urge you to use your highly respected office to ensure that justice is reasonably done in this case.”

Similarly, Obiora Okwuibe the convener of #JusticeforDonsUdeh said the community is yet to heal from the Kidnap of one of their traditional rulers from Ozalla Etiti to be faced with this.

“This is one murder too many for us to swallow. We’ve come on our knees to beg the government to bring the perpetrators of this dastardly and heinous act to book.”

He added that: “The cases of adoption in our community is becoming alarming and we’re begging the government to come to our Aide and stop this carnage.”

Responding, Governor Ugwuanyi expressed deepest concern over the incident and assured the people of Ozalla and the entire state of his commitment to ensuring that hoodlums have no place in the state.

The Governor said late Engr. Udeh was a friend and a loyal party man, thus his death pains him too, while assuring them of his readiness to provide the necessary support to both the community and the security agents to ensure the perpetrators are brought to book.

The Governor therefore announced a cash reward of N5 million for any person or group that provides information to the Nigeria Police that would lead to the arrest of those involved in the murder of Engr Udeh.

He also approved the release of another N5million, one million naira each, to the five communities in Ozalla, Nkanu West Local Government Area where the late Udeh hailed from, to assist them in their separate and collective investigations towards unraveling those behind the death of their son.

Ugwuanyi said that the N5million bounty will be made available to the Nigeria Police, Enugu State Command, while the other N5million will be released to the five communities in Ozalla.

The governor disclosed that he had detailed the Commissioner of Police, Enugu State Command, CP Ahmed Ammani and the Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of State Criminal Intelligence and Investigation Department, DCP Fidelis Ogarabe to carry out thorough investigation into the matter to unravel the culprits and bring them to justice, stressing that he wants to get to the root of the matter to serve as deterrent to others, and enhance the status of the state as one of the safest and most peaceful states in the country.

He pointed out that the death of Engr. Udeh is even more painful to him and the state government than his community, revealing his closeness to the deceased and his meritorious service to the state.