Ex-Abia Assembly Minority Leader Demands Probe Into Shooting of Ugwueke Youth

Chijioke Chukwu, former Minority Leader of the Abia State House of Assembly, has called for a thorough investigation into the alleged shooting of a young man from Ugwueke community in Bende Local Government Area, Anyim Elijah Obinna, along with two others.

Obinna, aged 35, was reportedly shot dead by a police officer during a birthday party at a hotel in Ugwueke on April 20, 2025. The incident occurred at a celebration for a friend of Obinna’s.

Reacting to the tragedy, Chukwu urged the people of Abia, including Benjamin Kalu, Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives and representative of Bende Federal Constituency, to intervene and ensure justice is served for Obinna.

Chukwu dismissed claims suggesting the shooting was linked to cult-related violence, alleging instead that the police officer involved is based in Aba.

Speaking about the incident, Obinna’s father, Mr. Paul Anyim, recounted:

“We returned home for the Easter holidays, and my son came back on Saturday around 2:30 p.m. The next day, Sunday, at about 6:15 p.m., he left my house with his younger brother after dinner to attend a birthday party at Grand Star Hotel in Ugwueke.”

Mr. Anyim continued, saying that at 10 p.m., villagers began shouting that his son had been shot, and it was later confirmed that Elijah Obinna had died.

He added that the family reported the shooting to the Igbere Police Division in Bende on April 21, 2025, and also to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) in Umuagu, Umuahia. However, officers at SCID instructed him to return to Igbere, stating the police division would forward the case file.

Mr. Anyim expressed shock that the police officer allegedly responsible for the shooting has yet to be identified or apprehended.

Attempts to reach DSP Maureen Chinaka, the Police Public Relations Officer for Abia State Command, for comments on the matter were unsuccessful as of the time this report was filed.