A former political adviser to President Goodluck Jonathan, Ahmed Gulak, has reportedly been shot dead in Owerri, Imo State, Premium Times reports.
Eyewitness told The Nation that Gulak was
allegedly shot dead around 06:30am by gunmen at Amaekwemgba Junction, Umueze
Ezemba Community, a few poles to the airport.
According to the report, Gulak was
reportedly accosted while driving from Enyiogugu Mbaise area towards the
airport before his assailants blocked him and shot him twice on the head. He
was said to have died on the spot. Meanwhile, some people around the area
alleged that the gunmen came in military camouflage.
But other sources said that he was ambushed
while on his way to Sam Mbakwe International Cargo airport when his motorcade
was attacked at a place called Obiagwa, close to the Airport.
The former aide to ex-president Goodluck Jonathan was attacked in his vehicle – Camry – marked Texas BFT 2150, The PUNCH was told.
“It is true but the details are sketchy”,
the state Commissioner of Police, Abutu Yaro, confirmed the development to The
PUNCH. “I am on the way to the airport. Please call the CP in charge of the
Airport. He will give more details. You know that Imo command is different from
Airport command.”
According to a report in Leadership Newspaper, Umar Ardo, a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and personal friend of Mr Gulak, confirmed the killing.
“I just confirmed the sad and gruesome
death of my friend and classmate, the former Hon. Speaker of the Adamawa State
House of Assembly, former Senior Special Assistant to the Vice President and
former Special Adviser Political to President Goodluck Jonathan, Barr. Ahmadu
Ali Gulak.
“Barr Gulak was said to have been killed
last night by unknown gunmen in Owerri, Imo State,” the paper quoted Mr Ardo as
saying.
“May Allah (SWT) forgive his sins, bless his soul and reward his good deeds with Aljannah on the Day of Resurrection. May Allah (SWT) also give all his children, relatives, friends and loved ones, the fortitude to bear the irreparable loss. And may Allah (SWT) bless us with faithful deaths when it is our turn to die. Ameen,” he added.
A report by the BBC said the
police spokesperson in Imo State, Bala Elkana, has also confirmed the killing.
The BBC report said Mr Gulak was shot while
he was on his way from Imo to Abuja.
Acccording to The Cable, “Ahmed Gulak once
declared himself as the national chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)
during the party’s leadership crisis in January 2016.
“Gulak was chairman of the APC committee
that conducted the primaries for Imo governorship election.
“He had been declared missing after
arriving in the state to supervise the exercise in October 2018.
“He later said he was “kidnapped” alongside
members of the panel, and that he was
offered $2 million to influence the outcome of the primaries.
“He had also alleged that Rochas Okorocha,
then-governor of Imo state, forced members of the electoral panel to declare
Uche Nwosu, his favourite candidate, as the winner of the primary.
“The APC national working committee (NWC)
eventually cancelled the exercise after Nwosu was announced
the winner”, the paper reported.
On ‘How he felt out with Jonathan and PDP’,
The Cable submits that “Jonathan sacked him as his special adviser on political
matters in April 2014. No reason was given for his sack but he was alleged to
be meddling in the affairs of some PDP states. At the time, he had a running
battle with Godswill Akpabio, then-governor of Akwa Ibom state and chairman of
PDP Governors Forum. Few days after he was dismissed from office, he resigned
as the national coordinator of the Goodluck Support Group (GSG). About four
years later, in February 2018, he defected from the PDP to the APC, citing ‘impunity’
and ‘injustice’ in the former as the reason for his departure”
He was then quoted as saying “We have left
the PDP with its entire structures in the state (Adamawa) to join the APC, so
the PDP is destroyed and buried. We have also converted the party secretariat
to (that of) APC”
“Mr Gulak was the chairman of the committee
which conducted the 2019 APC governorship primary in Imo State that produced
the incumbent Governor of the state, Hope Uzodinma, as the candidate of the
party”, Premium Times captures. “Owerri, with a large concentration of IPOB
members and supporters, has been the epicentre of clashes between security
agencies and IPOB
in the South-east region. Several security operatives, including soldiers, have
been killed in deadly attacks in the city. IPOB, a pro-Biafra group, which has
been proscribed by the federal government, has denied accusations that it was
responsible for the killings”.
Watch the situation video of the reported
killing of the chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC). We however
warn that this video curtesy Nigerian Journalist Kemi Olunloyo, has graphic and violent content:
News just reaching our team at press time says killers of late Gulak have been neutralized according to PREMIUM TIMES report captioned "Gulak: Police blame IPOB, say killers neutralised"
According to the report, the police in Imo State have said that the
killers of Ahmed Gulak, a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and
a former political adviser to President Goodluck Jonathan, are members of the
secessionist group, IPOB, and its security arm, ESN.
The report stated further that the police in a statement issued on Sunday night said Mr Gulak’s killers were traced to their location within Imo on Sunday where they were shot dead during a gun battle with police operatives.
“The six hoodlums who carried out the
killings and four other members of their gang were fatally injured.
“The assailants were identified as members
of the proscribed IPOB and ESN,” the police spokesperson in Imo, Bala Elkana,
said in the statement.
“The driver who drove late Ahmed Gulak and
a co-victim who survived have all identified the dead body of the IPOB/ESM
members positively as their attackers and also identified the three vehicles
recovered as those used by the attackers,” the statement added.
The police said three AK 47 rifles, one
pistol, five AK-47 magazines with 92 rounds of live ammunition and charms were
recovered from the suspects.
See police statement below as captured by Premium Times:
IMO STATE POLICE COMMAND
30TH MAY, 2021
POLICE IN IMO HAVE NEUTRALISED THE KILLERS
OF AHMED GULAK
*RECOVERED THREE AK47 RIFLES, ONE PISTOL,
FIVE AK47 MAGAZINES WITH 92 ROUNDS OF LIVE AMMUNITION
*RECOVERED THREE OUT OF THE FOUR VEHICLES
USED IN THE ATTACK
On 30th May, 2021 following a distress
received by the Command on the gruesome murder of Ahmed Gulak, Police Special
Forces made up of Intelligence Response Team (IRT), Police Mobile Force (PMF)
and Tactical Units from the command were deployed to the scene at Obiangwu Junction
at Ngorokpala LGA of Imo state. The teams were given a clear instruction to
identify and apprehend the perpetrators of the act with a view of bringing them
to justice.
2. Eye witnesses account, especially the
account given by the Driver of the vehicle that was conveying Ahmed Gulak to
the Airport before the attack, gave a vivid description of the assailants and
the vehicles they used in carrying out the attack. The assailants were said to
have used a Toyota Camry 2005 model with silver color; Toyota Sienna 1998 Model
with golden color; Toyota Hilux with white color; and a Lexus RX 330 with
golden Color. (Registration numbers are withheld for security reasons).
3. Having established the identity of the
assailants and the description of the vehicles used in carrying out the attack,
the teams further got details of the direction the hoodlums have taken. With
further leads, the team was able to establish the location of suspects. The
suspects were rounded up at Afor Enyiogugu junction in Aboh-Mbaise Local
Government Area. The hoodlums where met distributing onions to locals from a
trailer they confiscated. The trailer was loaded with Onions from the Northern
region of Nigeria.
4. On sighting the Police, the hoodlums
providing security coverage to those sharing the onions opened fire on the
Police teams. The Gallant and battle ready Police Officers swiftly returned the
fire. The six hoodlums who carried out the killings and four other members of
their gang were fatally injured. Three out of the four vehicles used in
attacking Gulak were recovered.
5. Three AK 47 Rifles, one Pistol, five AK
47 magazines with ninety two rounds of live ammunition and criminal charms were
recovered. The assailants were identified as members of the proscribed IPOB and
ESN. The driver who drove late Ahmed Gulak and a co- victim who survived have
all identified the dead body of the IPOB/ESM members positively as their
attackers and also identified the three vehicles recovered as those used by the
attackers. During the encounter, two of the police armored personnel carriers
(APC) were riddled with bullets but survived the gun battle.
6. The Commissioner of Police Imo State, CP
Abutu Yaro, commended the gallant effort of the team and admonished them to
continue to protect the public space.
SP Bala Elkana, ANIPR,
Police Public Relations Officer,
For Commissioner of Police,
Imo State.
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