Shock and anguish yesterday trailed the confirmation that a former Chairman of Ohanaeze
Ndigbo in Lagos State, Chief John Nzewi was killed by kidnappers who took N30
million ransom payment from his family. Chief Nzewi, a Peoples Democratic Party
(PDP) chieftain and current president of Igbos In Commerce, hailed from Nnewi,
Anambra State.The deceased was said to have been kidnapped weeks ago
during the re-run Senatorial elections in Anambra South district at Ihiala,
Ihiala Council Area.His companion (names withheld), who was kidnapped along
with him, was reportedly freed on payment of ransom, while the family of Chief
Nzewi allegedly, could not immediately raise the N50 million
demanded.It was gathered from a close family source that his family
and the abductors allegedly later settled for N30 million. The kidnappers took
the ransom only to release the corpse of Nzewi to the family.The family has
been thrown into shock and mourning, as they found it hard to accept the death
of the PDP chieftain. The family source said: “If we knew that they
would kill him, we would not have paid the N30 million ransom they demanded from
us. Now, what is the use? They collected the money and still killed him. All we
have to do now is to prepare for the burial.”
Reacting to the death, the
spokesman of the Ohanaeze Ndigbo in Diaspora, Chief Sonny Louis Okafor said,
from investigations made, Nzewi’s captors collected the N30 million and killed
him thereafter.Okafor called on the acting Inspector-General of Police
(IGP), Mr. Abubakar Mohammed, to come to the rescue of the
people.According to him: “We condole with the Nzewi family on this
unfortunate incident. The Nigeria police should track down those who killed
Nzewi. Let it not be like such incidents, which after investigation will be
swept under the carpet.”
