The Enugu State Police Command has launched investigation into the murder of a popular politician, said SP Daniel Ndukwe, police spokesperson in the state.
In a statement released yesterday, the police mouthpiece confirmed that Mr Ikechukwu Oloto, a popular politician from Nsukka who is fondly called “Okanga Mo”, was murdered.
“Investigation is ongoing to unravel the circumstances surrounding the murder of Ikechukwu Oloto, male, about 53 years old, in Nsukka,” Ndukwe said.
According the story, Oloto was attacked by unknown gunmen at his residence at Odenigbo in Nsukka local government area on Thursday evening. By the time the police got to him, Oloto was found in the pool of blood with deep matchet cuts on his head and stomach.
Police said he was taken to the hospital where he was confirmed dead by a doctor. His remains were deposited at the morgue for autopsy as investigation continues.
Mr Ikechukwu Oloto was a founding member of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Enugu State. All through the years when the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) reigned in Enugu, he was steadfast in the opposition politics, ascending in ranks within his party. At one time Oloto served as the State Youths Leader of APC, and State Secretary at another time.
However, Governor Peter Mbah’s defection to APC disrupted the existing leadership of the once-opposition party at all levels, resulting in dissolution of the State Working Committee led by Ugochukwu Agballa. Then, a seven-member Caretaker Committee was put in its place, with former State Chairman Ben Nwoye heading it.
To resolve the problem, Governor Peter Mbah directed that a 60-40 formula be used in order to accommodate the defecting PDP and Labour Party (LP) members as well as the first members of APC. This rule was flouted in several places, including Nsukka where some long-standing members like late Ikechukwu Oloto were effectively sidelined.
In protest, Oloto defected to the African Democratic Congress (ADC).
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It’s still not clear if his gruesome murder was politically motivated at a time when Governor Peter Mbah is intensifying efforts to roll back persistent insecurity across several areas in Nsukka axis.