Anxiety as unknown gunmen kill Jonathan’s ex-aide, Gulak in Imo

…Those involved in such despicable acts won’t go free — Buhari

…We’ll declare Uzodinma persona non grata in North, if…. Arewa youths

…Gulak’s killing senseless, wicked – S-West govs;

…How he was killed – Police;

…Jonathan mourns;

…Hold Gov Uzodimma responsible – IPOB

By Dayo Johnson, Johnbosco Agbakwuru, Chidi Nkwopara & Luminous Jannamike

THE security situation in Imo State deteriorated further, yesterday, occasioning deep national concern following the killing of Alhaji Ahmed Gulak, a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress, APC, and  former  political adviser to former President Goodluck Jonathan, in the state, by unknown gunmen.

Imo State Police Command confirmed the death of the politician in via  Police Bulletin signed by the Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, Mr. Bala Elkana.

It read: “On May 30, 2021, at about 07:20hrs, armed bandits intercepted and attacked a Toyota Camry cab, carrying Ahmed Gulak and two others, who were on their way to Sam Mbakwe Airport to catch a flight.

“Ahmed Gulak left his room at Protea Hotel without informing the police nor sister agencies, in view of the fragile security situation in the South-East and Imo in particular. He left without any security escorts and while the cab driver took irregular route to the airport, six armed bandits who rode in a Toyota Sienna intercepted, identified and shot at Ahmed Gulak at around Umueze Obiangwu in Ngor-Okpala Local Government Area, close to the Airport.

“The Commissioner of Police Imo State, Mr. Abutu Yaro, has directed a discreet investigation into the matter as Tactical and Special forces have been deployed to cordone off the area and arrest perpetrators.” The killing of Gulak elicited immediate response from President Muhammadu Buhari, who vowed that those involved in the murderous act would not go free.

Also, Arewa youths warned that they would declare Governor Hope Uzodimma persona non grata in the North, if Gulak killers were not apprehended and brought to justice just as the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, said the governor should be held responsible for the ugly development.

Indeed, former President mourned Gulak, yesterday, as South-West governors said his killing was senseless and wicked.

Efforts to get the Imo State Government to comment on the issue were yet to bear fruits at press time. Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Chief Mbadiwe Emelumba, did not pick or return calls to his regular mobile lines.

Vanguard recalls that the deceased APC chieftain, was chairman of the APC Committee that conducted the party’s governorship primary in Imo State, in October 2018.

The news of his death was made first made  known by his classmate, Dr Umar Ado, in a statement. The statement did not say what took him to Imo, unconfirmed sources said that he was in Imo on the invitation of some northern groups in the state.

It read in part: “I just confirmed the sad and gruesome death of my friend and classmate, the former Hon. Speaker of the Adamawa State House of Assembly, former Senior Special Assistant to the Vice President and former Special Adviser Political to President Goodluck Jonathan, Barr. Ahmadu Ali Gulak. “Barr Gulak was said to have been killed last night by unknown gunmen in Owerri, Imo State. “May Allah (SWT) forgive his sins, bless his soul and reward his good deeds with Aljannah on the Day of Resurrection.

“May Allah (SWT) also give all his children, relatives, friends and loved ones, the fortitude to bear the irreparable loss. And may Allah (SWT) bless us with faithful deaths when it is our turn to die.’’

Hold Gov Uzodinma responsible — IPOB

Reacting to Gulak’s death, the IPOB, in a statement by its Spokesman, Emma Powerful, said that Governor Uzodinma should be held responsible for what it described  as a “professional assassination”, adding that IPOB members were not responsible for the killing.

He further charged Governor Uzodinma to disclose how Gulak died without further delay because “today is not sit-at-home. People are going to church and this was why we shifted the date to tomorrow. This is political assassination; we are not in the same party as Gulak.

“Uzodimma and APC know about Gulak’s death, we do not know anything about his movement, talk more of him being in Imo State. Nigerians believe this because they hate IPOB, Biafra.”

Those involved in such despicable acts won’t go free—Buhari

However, President Buhari, in a statement issued by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Mallam Garba Shehu in Abuja, warned that those involved in the gruesome murder of Gulak will not escape the wrath of the law. President Buhari said that government would deploy all resources at its disposal to ensure that such callous and criminal elements were brought to justice.

Expressing outrage and disgust over what he described as “the heinous murder of the Adamawa politician, Ahmed Gulak in Owerri, Imo State by yet to be identified gunmen,” the Presiodent said: “I’m repulsed by such premeditated and gruesome murder of Gulak by evil people who are determined to undermine the peace, unity and territorial integrity of our country. “Let me warn, however, that nobody or group of people who engages in such despicable acts should expect to go free. We will deploy all resources at our disposal to ensure that such callous and criminal elements are brought to justice.”

He expressed his condolences to the family of the deceased, the people and government of Adamawa State as well as his friends and associates all over the country.

Jonathan mourns, says it’s a painful loss

In like manner, former President Jonathan, in a statement by Ikechukwu, his Special Adviser on Media, expressed shock over the death of his former political adviser, Ahmed Gulak.

The former President described Gulak’s death as a painful loss, noting that the deceased was a loyal public servant and dedicated patriot.

“I received with shock the death of Alhaji Ahmed Gulak who died on Sunday, 30th May 2021, in Owerri, Imo State. Gulak was a loyal public servant and dedicated patriot who gave his all in service to his country. His death is a painful loss to me and many others who worked and interacted with him. “He will be remembered for his modest contributions to the growth of our nation’s democracy, especially his memorable days both as a skillful speaker of Adamawa State House of Assembly and political adviser in our   administration.

READ ALSO: Fani-Kayode condemns Ahmed Gulak’s murder in Owerri

“My deepest condolences to his family, the government and the people of Adamawa state, who are bound to feel the loss of this eminent and patriotic Nigerian,’’ he said.

We’ll declare Uzodinma persona non grata in North, if…  — Arewa youths

Pained by the murder of Gulak, Arewa youths under the aegis of the Northern Youth Council of Nigeria, yesterday, said they would declare Governor Hope Uzodinma of Imo State,  persona non grata, if he fails, after two weeks, to produce those who perpetrated the dastardly act.

The council in a statement by its National President, Dr. Isa Abubakar-Sadiq, also lamented the spate of wanton killings and destruction of public properties in the South-East geopolitical zone, and charged the Federal Government to fulfil its constitutional duty of providing security for all.

The statement read in part: “The Imo State Governor must bring the killers of Ahmad Gulak to justice or we declare him non grata in the entire Northern soil. It is so pathetic and saddening that the continued killings and lawlessness going on in the Southeastern part of Nigeria has remained unabated.

“The government of Imo State must give an account of those who killed Gulak. The continued killing of northerners and destruction of security facilities in the state will no longer be tolerated.

“The Federal Government must rise to its constitutional responsibility of protecting lives and properties and must act appropriately to avoid escalation of this development into a full-blown civil war.

“Government should take note that we will not allow the killers of Ahmed Gulak to go unpunished and the governor, who is the chief security officer of the state, must bring the people involved in this assassination to justice soon.

“Let us state categorically that the Northern youths will do everything within their power to force the government of Imo State to bring the perpetrators of this crime to justice. “The Imo governor and other South-East governors should take note that we shall no longer accept the continued killing of northerners in their region. “Therefore, the governor of Imo has two weeks to investigate this killing, or we shall declare him persona non grata across the entire Northern soil.”

Gulak’s killing wicked – S-West govs

Chairman the South West Governors Forum, Rotimi Akeredolu, yesterday, described the killing of Gulak as senseless and wicked.

Akeredolu, in a statement, said the killing of the APC chieftain was “shocking and disturbing.”

Responsible for the gruesome murder of a man who was a visitor to the State. This is unacceptable. “This cowardly act is calculated to instigate Nigerians against each other, particularly Northerners, against the Igbo living outside the South-East.

“We must confront the enemies of the people with a view to neutralizing them.

“This is definitely not the time for political correctness. Banditry should not be allowed to subvert the legitimacy of the current Government at all levels.

“We call on all security agencies to collaborate with a view to unveiling the criminal elements sponsoring and undertaking terrorist acts. they must be punished, severely.

“We want to use this medium to express our solidarity with our brother Governor of Imo State, Hope Uzodinma.

“We admonish him and other Governors in the South Eastern States to brace up, and confront the current security challenge to put an end to the bloodbath in the land.

“The enemies of the people always employ the weapon of fear to create disaffection in the polity.”

Vanguard News Nigeria

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