By Gbenga Abulude (Politics and General Desk)
Shocking details of how the Nasarawa state All Progressives Congress (APC) chapter chairman, Mr Philip Schekwo was kidnapped by gunmen on Saturday and later found dead on Sunday have emerged.
According to eye-witness accounts, the state APC chairman’s residence was reportedly besieged by the gunmen along Kurikyo road near Dunamis church, Bukan Sidi in Lafia around 11pm, who started shooting sporadically on Saturday.
According to a national Newspaper, the sporadic gunshots instantly woke up Schekwo, who became aware of the danger lurking around, and reportedly made several calls to security agencies.
Some reports indicate that there were no responses to his telephone calls until he was abducted.
According to one eye-witness account, Mr Joseph Gudu, who lives close to the Schekwo’s residence, the gunmen broke into the late party chief’s residence.
Gudu said he monitored the incident from his bedroom window. Gudu who gave a graphic account of what happened said he saw how the gunmen used a sharp knife and other implements to break open the deceased’s door and windows, before gaining entry into the residence.
“The wife of the late chairman, his children and the chairman himself made several calls across the security agencies in the state but nobody responded.
“They were shouting help, help but no security person came to their aid. The police were not ready to pick their calls
“The operation lasted for about 49 minutes before they gained entrance into the bedroom of the chairman after disarming his security guards and took him away.
“If the police had responded promptly to the calls of the APC chairman, they might have saved his life.
“They took him away with his car key, killed him just a meter away from his house and hung his car key by his lifeless body,” Gudu said.
The corpse of the kidnapped APC chairman was reportedly found few meters away from his residence in Bukan Sidi, Lafia on Sunday.
Nasarawa state Police Commissioner, Mr Bola Longe, who confirmed the death of Shekwo, said he was found dead with wounds of gunshots.
Longe said from the circumstances that led to his death, it was obvious it was not a matter of abduction but likely a murder case.
“From what we have seen since yesterday and the intensity of bullet marked on the wall of the house and the forceful gaining of entrance into the house, it was clear it was much more than kidnapping.
“And where we found his body, near his house, normally when kidnapping is carried out it is for profit making.
“But this has shown that within a twinkle of an eye the man was killed, no demand was made whatsoever.
“So I believe it was assassination but that notwithstanding, we are going to carry out exhaustive investigation that will give us a clue to what has actually happened,” he said.
Meanwhile, Nasarawa State Governor, Abdullahi Sule, Senator Tanko Al-Makura, the speaker of the state House of Assembly, Abdullahi- Balarabe Ibrahim, the state commissioner of police, Bola Longe, government officials, party faithful and sympathisers at the weekend visited the house of the slain party chairman to condole with the wife and family.
