Insecurity: Hooded gunmen kills fresh petrochemical engineering graduate in Abia

A young graduate that finished from the Petrochemical Engineering department of Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike, identified as Mr Precious Chidozie James has been killed dead by some yet to be identified gunmen that attacked him wearing hoods.

FCNN gathered that the young graduate was murdered close to his family compound in Owaza, Ukwa West LGA of Abia State.

The deceased who was a prospective Corps, member NYSC, was killed on Wednesday, February 5, 2025 at about 2:15 am after he accompanied his elder brother, Enyeribe James, the head of Ukwa East/Ukwa West anti-bunkering task force of Independent Petroleum Marketers of Nigeria (IPMAN) on a night patrol in the area.

The attackers attacked Chidozie, when he was driving a Tundra truck with his elder brother. They were ambushed and attacked by the gunmen that emerged from the bush, and started shooting them which led to the death of Chigozie while his elder brother, James managed to escape into the bush.

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The deceased corps was evacuated at about 9:35 am the same day by men of the Obehie Police station under the leadership of DSP Ibrahim.

The Mayor of Ukwa West LGA, Dike Nwankwo described the killing of the young man as unacceptable, stating that the initial reports from the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) of Ukwa Division, confirmed that they have no idea of who the assailants were.

The Mayor, who spoke through his Chief Press Secretary, Johnson Ihunanya Nwosu, said. ‘”the reckless and deliberate targeting of innocent citizens under any guise is a direct threat to public order, and we will deploy all available mechanisms to ensure that the full force of the law is applied without delay.”

The Mayor further directed the beef up of security operations across Ukwa West, with a zero-tolerance against organized criminal networks, hired assassins, and any element attempting to destabilize the communities.

He further stated that he was working with the Police, Department of State Services and other security agencies to unearth the killers.