Gunmen on the night of Saturday, 14 September killed the Chairman of Ogbete Market Amalgamated Traders’ Association (OMATA), Mr. Stephen Aniagu in Enugu, the Coal City capital.
The gory murder of the market chairman, it was gathered, created tension in Enugu.
It was gathered that the late Aniagu, Chairman of the largest market in the state, was shot dead by gunmen suspected to be assassins.
The assailants were reported to have murdered him at the Topland Area of the state, after which they made away with his car.
A gory video in circulation showed Aniagu’s lifeless body riddled with bullets, with residents surrounding him in shock and disbelief.
Meanwhile, Enugu State Command has commenced probe of the killing of OMATA Chairman.
The state Police Public Relations Officer, Daniel Ndukwe, who made this disclosure in a statement issued on Sunday, 15 September, 2024, explained that a preliminary investigation by the police had revealed that the armed assailants had waylaid Aniago along the Amechi Road area of the state, shot at him, and escaped with his car.
According to him, upon receiving a report of the incident, policemen stormed the scene and took the victim to a nearby hospital where he was confirmed dead.
“The Enugu State Police Command Operatives are on the trail of the armed assailants that shot and murdered the Chairman of Ogbete Main Market Traders Association, Enugu, Stephen Aniago, at Topland, along Amechi Road, Enugu, around 8:20 p.m. of September 14, 2024.
“A preliminary investigation reveals that the unknown armed hoodlums, operating in a Toyota Corolla car, double-crossed and shot the victim, making away with his blue-coloured Toyota Corolla car.
“He was taken to the hospital by police operatives who hastened to the scene but was confirmed dead by doctors. His corpse was deposited in the mortuary for preservation and further investigative actions,” the state police image-maker said, disclosing that a tactical team had been deployed to trail and arrest the suspects behind the killing of Aniago while assuring that justice would be served.
“The Commissioner of Police, Kanayo Uzuegbu, has ordered tactical squads of the Command that are on the trail of the assailants to deploy all the intelligence and operational resources at their disposal to hunt the criminals down.
“He also orders the Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of the State CID to conduct a discreet investigation to unravel the circumstances of the incident.
“CP Kanayo assures the public that the police will leave no stone unturned in bringing the perpetrators of the dastardly act to book soonest,” Ndukwe said.
