The Nigeria Police have confirmed the killing of Ahmed Gulak in Imo State on Sunday morning by ‘bandits,’ saying he was shot in the head inside a private taxi cab on his way to catch a flight at the Sam Mbakwe airport Owerri.
Gulak was the Chairman of the 2nd Convention Committee that produced Senator Hope Uzodinma as the APC Governorship candidate, after he (Hope) came 4th in the first convention held.
The Imo State Police Public Relations Officer, SP Bala Elkana, said that the security agency has launched a “discreet investigation” into the killing.
Blaming Gulak’s driver for taking an irregular route to the airport, the Police also claimed in the statement that Gulak left his hotel room without informing the security agencies, giving the fragile security situation in the state.
“On the 30/5/2021, at about 07:20 am 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 the 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, CP Abutu Yaro, has directed a discreet investigation into the matter as tactical and special forces have been deployed to cordon the area and arrest perpetrators,” the statement added.
Meanwhile, Engr Chime Chinedu Enoch, aka Englishman, who is the PDP Youths Parliament Speaker blamed “Ahmed Gulaks death clearly APC Power tussle, not about ESN or IPOB because non of them could have known that he came to Imo State and he’s about going.”
But an intelligence Officer told PRNigeria, a publication which works closely with defence and security agencies that the blame for the death of Gulak lays squarely on members of the proscribed secessionist group, Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).
The Intelligence officer, who claimed to have intercepted communication and videos where the leader of IPOB, Nnamdi Kanu had threatened death to anyone who fails to observe his sit-at-home order from May 29 to May 31, 2021.
“Why should Nigeria and the media continue to dignify IPOB by claiming that its continuous atrocities against the security services and Nigerians are executed by unknown gunmen when we have arrested their members confessing their involvements,” the officer said
The IPOB leader had declared that the sit-at-home will commence 6p.m. on Saturday till 6p.m. on Monday, stating that the order is compulsory and must be obeyed by all the people in the region. He warned that anyone seen outside will be killed.
“From 6p.m. on the 29th, there will be no movement, this is not sit-at-home but no movement. If you are found outside from 6p.m. you are dead,” he said.