Gunmen, yet to be identified, have assassinated Hon. Smith Chiedoziem Anyanwu, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chairman for Ife/Akpodim/Chokoneze Ward in Ezinihitte Mbaise local government area of Imo State.
The incident occurred on Thursday evening at Anyanwu’s residence in Ezinihitte Mbaise, where he was shot point-blank in the presence of his wife by two gunmen on a motorbike.
An eyewitness, who pleaded anonymity, said the gunmen arrived Anyanwu’s residence on a motorbike and enquired about him.
He said: “The two men rode in on a bike and asked his wife about her husband’s whereabouts, and she pointed towards the compound. They just went there and shot him point-blank, waited for some seconds before zooming off.”
“The first gunshot had scared away passers-by, so they had no resistance to escape. The problem now is that people have deserted the community for fear of more attacks,” the source added.
Efforts to obtain a reaction from the Police spokesperson for Imo State, Henry Okoye, were unsuccessful as he did not answer the calls made to him.