Lawan, Omo-Agege, Ohanaeze, APC deplore Gulak’s murder, urge probe

Senate President Ahmad Lawan has called for a holistic investigation into the murder of former Speaker of Adamawa House of Assembly and chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Ahmed Gulak, on Sunday morning in Imo State.

Lawan, who condemned the dastardly act, described the killing as one crime too many, adding that the perpetrators must be brought to justice.

In a statement by his Special Adviser on Media, Yomi Awoniyi, the Senate President said there could be no justification for the slaughtering of a human being and fellow citizen.

He appealed for restraint, urging the citizenry to allow the relevant authorities to serve justice on the matter.

Lawan condoled with the family and friends of the departed as well as the government and people of Adamawa State on the incident.

In his remarks Deputy President of the Senate, Ovie Omo-Agege, regretted that the slain former political adviser to ex-President Goodluck Jonathan died on national duty.

According to him, he was in the state to attend the constitution review public hearing organised by the Senate.

In a statement yesterday in Abuja, Omo-Agege said Gulak, as one of the consultants to the Senate Constitution Committee on Constitution Review, was in Owerri for the zonal public hearing.

He stated: “The death of Rt. Hon. Ahmed Gulak was a monumental tragedy that has shaken us as members of the Senate Constitution Review Committee to our bone marrow.

“As one of the consultants to the panel, he volunteered to go to Owerri for the zonal public hearing on Constitution Review. As a patriotic Nigerian, he died on national service.”

He commiserated with the family of the deceased and government and people of Adamawa State over the unfortunate incident.

Describing the assassination as wicked, dastardly, callous and barbaric, he called on security operatives to fish out the perpetrators and their sponsors.

He wondered what the killers sought to gain by killing “a patriotic citizen, who was on a national assignment.”

“There was no justifiable reason for this murderous act by the evil men behind Gulak’s death. I call on the police and other security agencies to fish out the assailants and their sponsors to face the full wrath of the law.

“This is the least we owe the late Gulak. And it will serve as deterrent to others. Security agencies should immediately restore law and order in the South East and other parts of the country so that the situation does not escalate,” he appealed.

SIMILARLY, Prof. George Obiozor-led Ohanaeze Ndigbo deplored the killing.

Reacting in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Chief Alex Chiedozie Ogbonna, the group said the incident had sent a wrong signal about the hospitality of Ndigbo to visitors.

“This is a death too many, because of the wrong signal it has sent to the general public.

“For the avoidance of doubt, the Igbo custom places very high premium on the wellbeing and hospitality of a guest, and the host would even pay the supreme price in order to protect the life of a guest,” the organisation noted.

ALSO yesterday, Imo APC decried the unfortunate incident, describing it as “unconscionable and despicable.”

In a statement yesterday in Owerri, state party chairman, Marcillinus Nlemigbo, said the late Gulak was a faithful leader, stressing that the people of the state were not “unmindful, callous, barbaric and heartless.”

He added that Gulak’s passing was a great loss to the party.