Group Condemns Killing of Igbo Traders in Kano

David-Chyddy Eleke in Awka

A youth group, Coalition of South East Youth Leaders (COSEYL), has condemned the killing of two Igbo traders in Kano State.

The group said the killing, which happened on a day the presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Mr. Peter Obi, was in the state, showed that it has political undertone.

The group in a statement made available to THISDAY in Awka, Anambra State, said: “It is unbelievable that two legitimate businessmen who have done nothing wrong will be assassinated by their assailants on the premise that there are informants to the military.

“What business do men who traveled all the way to Kano to look for their daily bread have with being informant of the military?

“The tale by moonlight story about the assassination of Ifeanyi Elechukwu, 41, and Chibuike Emmanuel does not add up at all. We suspect a foul play in the death of these two young men in their prime.

“It is on record that Peter Obi was in Kano State over the weekend to make some consultation on his presidential ambition, where he met with the Emir of Kano to solicit for their support, and two Igbo traders were killed by 8:50p.m. on the same Saturday Obi was in Kano, and they accused them of being military spy.

“We don’t accept such tale by moonlight story about the assassination of the two Igbo traders whose means of livelihood is known to all as ‘military spy’.”

The group said the killing demands thorough investigation, calling on the Inspector General of Police (IG) to urgently move to unravel the mystery behind the killing.

 The group in the statement said: “The assassination of these two young men has a political undertone, and we demand an independent and proper investigation to unravel the perpetrators and why there were assassinated.

“Ifeanyi, Chibuike and other Igbo traders have been doing their legitimate businesses in Kano for so many years, why will these two young men be suddenly assassinated just at the same time Peter Obi came to Kano for political consultation?

“We call on the IG, Usman Baba, and the Governor of Kano State, Alhaji Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, to unravel the true killers of those innocent traders.

“We don’t want a political investigation on this particular matter. The precious lives of two human beings are involved, who have loved ones, families and children to take care of. A thorough job must be done.”