The Senate on Wednesday, September 29, 2021 observed a minute silence in honour of the slain Dr Chike Akunyili, who was brutally murdered by unknown gunmen at Afor Nkpor in Anambra State yesterday, Tuesday September 28, 2021.
Dr Akunyili, was the husband of the late former Director General of National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) and former Minister of Information, Prof. Dora Akunyili.
The Senate decision to observe a minute silence followed a Point of Order raised by Senator Uche Lilian Ekwunife (Anambra Central) who noted that the late Dr Chike Akunyili, until his death, was the Medical Director of St. Leo Hospital Enugu.
Coming under order 43 of the Senate Standing Rules – Personal Explanation, Ekwunife noted with concern that on Tuesday 28th September, 2021, Dr. Chike Akunyili was gunned down in a most gruesome and very horrifying manner at Afor Nkpor, Anambra State.
She disclosed that late Akunyili also was an established academician, medical director and one who had contributed to the development of healthcare in Nigeria.
Narrating the circumstance which led to his death, Ekwunife said, “Dr. Akunyili went to Onitsha to present a paper and receive an award at the memorial lecture put together by civil society organisation in honour of his late wife, Prof. Dora Akunyili and was gruesomely attacked at Nkpor on his way home.
Aware that lots of gruesome attacks and killings had been going on around the entire South East zone especially Anambra, Enugu and Imo States.
Consequently, the lawmaker urged the Inspector General of Police and other law enforcement agencies to step up action towards unraveling perpetrators of the gruesome killings in Anambra State and other Southeast States under the name of unknown gunmen.
Ekwunife also urged state governors of the Southeast to sit up to their responsibilities of ensuring safety of life and properties of the citizens as enshrined in the 1999 Constitution (as amended).
Uche Nwosu is a two time Shell Petroleum PLC award winner in the year 2000;
He won the Shell Award on Investigative Journalism and Environmental Cleanliness.
