There have been controversies over the cause of death of the late Registrar and Chief Executive Officer of the National Examinations Council (NECO), Prof. Godswill Obioma.
It was first reported that Obioma was assassinated by some armed men in his residence in the late hours of Monday.
The wife of the deceased, Mrs. Elizabeth Obioma, who confirmed the demise of her husband to the newsmen was quoted to have confirmed that Obioma was assassinated.
According to Elizabeth, the suspected assassins came into their residence and murdered her husband without taking anything in the house. She disclosed her husband returned to Minna from a trip to Abuja when the assassins pounced on him.
“The assassins came in and killed him and left without taking anything,” the wife was quoted as saying by the Punch.
However, NECO has debunked the viral reports that its late registrar, Obioma, was assassinated.
A statement issued by the examination body and signed by the head, information and public relations division, Mr Azeez Sani, stated that the family of the deceased confirmed to the management that the deceased died after suffering a brief illness.
The statement reads in part; “The Registrar/Chief Executive, National Examinations Council (NECO) Prof. Godswill Obioma has died at the age of 67.
“A circular issued by the Director, Human Resource Management, Mr. Mustapha K. Abdul in Minna on Tuesday, quoted family sources as saying that Prof. Obioma died on 31st May, 2021 after a brief illness.
“This is contrary to insinuations in the social media that the late Registrar was assassinated in his residence in Minna. The Circular enjoined staff of the Council to remain calm and prayed for the repose of the soul of Prof. Obioma.”
The two separate causes given as reason for his death has since sparked outrage online among Nigerians as many called on the federal government to probe into the cause of Obioma’s death.
Obioma was born on 12th December, 1953. He hailed from Bende Local Government Area (LGA) of Abia State.
He was appointed Registrar of NECO on 14th May, 2020 by President Muhammadu Buhari.
He was also a Professor of Educational Measurement and Evaluation, and a former Executive Secretary of the Nigeria Educational Research and Development Council (NERDC).
Until his appointment as Registrar of NECO, Obioma served as the Ebonyi state Resident commissioner of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
The late Registrar is survived by his wife and children.
