BY: EMMANUEL CHUKWUMA, ENUGU.
Sorrow, tears reign supreme in the Ordu family of Umuchima Umuoba, Uratta, Owerri north council area of Imo State, whose breadwinner, Chukwudi Ordu, was murdered by suspected officials of the Imo State Environmental Transformation Commission (ENTRACO).
Ordu, an engineer and father of six, was on Wednesday, October 29th this year, along with two other young men, was said to have been shot at close range by the ENTRACO agents who invaded Toronto Junction, shooting sporadically to enforce environmental sanitation exercise within the vicinity.
The widow, Mrs Gift, who gave details of the incident, stressed that her late husband, “on that fateful day, had just arrived home in his car and was parked inside the compound when there were sounds of gunshots at Toronto Junction, a commercial centre.”
“Gift said that her late husband quickly ordered her and her children to get into the house while he attempted to protect two men who ran to their house for safety.”
She said, “It was in the course of trying to be a Good Samaritan that Chukwudi Ordu, along with the two men, was shot by the ENTRACO officials.
“One of my daughters, on hearing the gunshots at our door, peeped and saw him lying in a pool of his own blood.
“We were terrified and took him to a nearby hospital for urgent medical attention. But, they referred us to the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Owerri.”
At the FMC, Gift highlighted that, pints of blood were donated and surgery carried out to save Ordu, but he eventually died two days later.
Gift however, appealed to the Inspector General of Police (IGP) to look into the matter and ensure that her husband’s killers are brought to justice.
Speaking, the sister of the deceased, Amaka, who corroborated Gift’s statement, said that her late brother, who operated a block industry close to her shop, was shot by the ENTRACO officials.
She revealed that the family had spent about N4 Million to save Ordu’s life, but to no avail, and expressed regret that both the state government and the traditional ruler of the community had not demonstrated any concern for the plight of the family.
When contacted, the Chief Press Secretary to the governor. Hon. Oguwuike Nwachuku stressed that this incident has not been brought to the attention of the government.
Highlighting that when this is done, appropriate steps would be taken in this respect.
