By Uche Amunike
The Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, Wednesday, has reacted to reports attributing the death of Dr Chike Akunyili who was assassinated at Nkpor in Idemili Local Government Area of Anambra state to their members.
According to them, his death was what they called ‘pure political assassination’, adding that the people behind his death are those contesting the upcoming governorship election in Anambra state.
The deceased and husband to the late former Director-General, National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, NAFDAC, was shot by gunmen on Tuesday as he made his way home after attending an event organized by the alumni association of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka who gave his wife, the late Dora Akunyili and one-time Minister of Information, a posthumous award.
The IPOB after the incident, have had accusing fingers being pointed at them since the unfortunate incident occurred.
Spokesman of the secessionist group popularly known as Emma Powerful, said in a statement released by the group, that the people who poisoned Dora Akunyili were the ones responsible for her husband, Chike’s death.
Below, are the contents of his statement:
‘Those who killed Dora Akunyili’s husband killed his wife with poison are Fulani because she exposed Yar’adua’s death for Goodluck Ebele Jonathan to take over as President of failed Nigeria. They know themselves, Those that conspired to poisoned prof. Dora Akunyili, they’re contesting the governorship election in Anambra State today’.
‘We have no issues with Chike Akunyili and we don’t know him. Those behind this act must stop this and stop using IPOB name. We don’t want anybody to blame IPOB because we must get them. This is pure political assassination going on in Anambra State now and it is been perfected by Nigeria DSS security agents who are doing this to paint IPOB black in the face of support and encouragement we are getting from our people.’
‘We know their plans and gimmick to discourage Biafrans who are encouraging and supporting us but it can’t work for them. In the near future, those committing these atrocities in Imo and Anambra state will hear from IPOB and our people should not blame us because we must get them.’
The late Dr Chike Akunyili was happily married to the late Dora and they had six children and several grandchildren together.
He was a medical doctor and until his death, ran St Leo’s hospital, one of the largest hospitals in Enugu state.
He was known for being charitable and was a brilliant doctor who was reported to have graduated with Honours.
He provided financial support for his late wife’s Pharmacology studies and also accompanied her to India for the treatment of the disease that eventually took her life, Endometrial Carcinoma. He lost her in 2014 at the age of 59.
He once said in an interview that when his family won the American lottery many years ago and received the US green card, the officials of the United States government wanted to make her a citizen but she was vehement in her refusal as she insisted that nothing would ever take her permanently out of her home country.
Their marriage was a happy one!
