No, it’s not Sunday. It’s a mid-week issue.
This week marks the anniversary of the Biafra war. Now more than ever, it serves as a constant reminder of the human cost of Bigotry. I hope that someday soon, we’ll commit to acknowledging what happened during the civil war between 1967 and 1970.
Not coincidentally, the past few days have been a bit of a mess. From the slight uneasiness after IPOB leader Nnamdi Kanu ordered South-eastern Nigerians to stay home between the 29th and 31st of May or risk death, to unwarranted arrests, to alleged assassination of two political appointees.
We thought it was essential to send a mid-week issue to read through what has been happening: How the story has developed, what we know and what gaps are yet to be filled.
What has happened so far?
On Sunday, 30th
Ahmed Gulak, the former political adviser to ex-president Goodluck Jonathan, was assassinated in Imo. Daily Post confirmed that Gulak was on his way to the airport when ‘Unknown Gunmen’ attacked and killed him.
The Imo state Governor, Hope Uzodinma, confirmed at a press conference that Ahmed Gulak was visiting the state for a political amendment program. He was attacked on his way to the airport in a private car.
PremiumTimes reports that on Saturday night, hours before Gulak’s murder, 6 armed men attacked the Divisional Police Headquarters in Njaba Local Government Area of Imo State. The report says that that residents heard gunshots for hours before the attackers setting the station ablaze.
The Bala Elkana, a superintendent of police, confirmed that they also Magistrate’s and High Courts in the area and later vandalised the community health centre.
Ahmed Gulak was chairman of the APC committee that conducted the primaries for the Imo governorship election. He had been declared missing after arriving in the state to supervise the exercise in October 2018. He later claimed to have been kidnapped and offered $2 million to influence the outcome of the primaries.
What has happened since his death?
On Sunday 30th, the Nigerian Police raided a church in Enugu State, about 139.3 km from Imo, and arrested over 50 men in attendance for alleged ties with IPOB. There is no report on whether or not this was concerning Gulak’s death.
On the 31st, The Nigerian Police claim that they have caught the assassins. They identified them as members of the Eastern Security Network (ESN) fighters controlled by the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).
NECO Registrar Godwin Obioma dies in Minna.
People's Gazette claim that his wife, Elizabeth, told them “unknown gunmen” strangled to death in their home, but his son and personal assistant both affirmed that he died after a brief illness
What else do we know?
From residents on Twitter:
On the 29th, the Nigerian Army had forced passengers along Owerri-Orlu road in Imo to get out of their cars and raise their hands before crossing any army checkpoints.
A group (no indication of who) has allegedly gone around arresting Imo state university students for supposed ties with IPOB. They claim they were arresting men to "reduce the Biafra activities that would take place" on the 31st
The Cable speculates that crime rates in the south have skyrocketed this year. In April, almost 2,000 inmates are believed to have escaped when shooters attacked and invaded the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCS) facility and police command headquarters in Owerri, Imo state capital.
Premium Times reports that on the 24th of April, shooters attacked the Imo State Governor’s home and killed one of his security men.
Also, this year: over 20 INEC offices and police stations have been attacked and/or burnt.
What officials are saying
Imo state governor Hope Uzodinma said on the 31st that it was "clearly a political assassination", but Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike, thinks there isn't enough evidence to determine that.
The President's spokesman, Garba Shehu, said that the President said he is “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.”