Detectives investigating the killing of Azubuike Ekwegbalu, a security aide to Governor Obiano of Anambra State, have been directed to focus on some traditional rulers in the State, who have been embroiled in a major crisis with the Governor recently.
Police sources at the Force Headquarters, Abuja, said the security aide, who was discreetly involved in top security surveillance for the government, might have incurred the anger of his killers after he permeated the circle where they were hatching plans to unsettle the government.
Sources said there are pointers to the fact that just a day before the aide was killed in his residence at the high brow Commissioners’ s quarters, Awka, he was spotted hovering around the town where the dissenting rulers were meeting to strategize.
It was learned that late Azubuike was secretly compiling damaging reports about the clandestine activities of the traditional rulers and their sponsors for the urgent attention of the Governor, but was yet to submit the report before he was killed by the assailants.
Though sources said his principal may not be aware of his efforts to unravel the suspicious dealings of the rulers, he had long been involved in such discreet missions, especially against suspected cultists, kidnappers and other criminals in and around the State, which was said to have contributed immensely to the low crime rate in the State.
Sources further disclosed that his killers might have trailed him to his residence after his last investigative trip.
They reportedly succeeded in locating his residence only to later sneak into the apartment through an open window in the kitchen from where they attacked him in the bedroom and dragged the body back to the kitchen before escaping.
That, according to sources, accounted for the observation by the police team that visited his residence after receiving a distress call, that the aide’s body revealed cut wounds, while a blood-stained kitchen knife was also recovered as exhibit at the scene.
Consequently, a suspect who was allegedly seen in the premises was arrested and sources said he had given the investigators useful clues prompting the searchlight on the traditional rulers and their sponsors.
Anambra State police image maker, Mohammed Haruna, when contacted on phone confirmed that a suspect has been arrested and that he was helping detectives with useful information to unravel killers of the aide.
Meanwhile, following the development, sources said police authorities in Abuja may commence internal investigation over the activities of some aides to the IGP in relation to their intimacy with the warring parties in Anambra State.
(Vanguard)
