Gunmen kill pharmacist, abduct brother in Imo

Gunmen have reportedly killed one Henry Ogbuji, a pharmacist, while chasing the abductors of his elder brother, in Imo state.

Ogbuji who is from Obile/Egbema LGA and owned a pharmacy in Owerri, the state capital was killed on Friday.

A source in the village told TheCable that the late pharmacist who lived in the Irete area of the state, returned home and discovered Sunny Ogbuni, his brother,  had been kidnapped.

“Henry Ogbuji was shot dead by kidnappers on Friday night. He was pursuing the kidnappers who captured his elder brother, Sunny Ogbuji,” the source said.

“He came back from his pharmacy shop and heard his elder brother was kidnapped not long ago, and he ran after them in his car. As if he knew, they took Owerri/Onitsha road expressway, he got to Umungada junction where he encountered the kidnappers.

“But on sighting that the car coming close to them was after them, they released several bullets and killed the young man. I wonder what gave him the impetus to run after kidnappers who were well-armed. It was an unfortunate situation.”

Confirming the incident in a statement on Saturday, Henry Okoye, police spokesperson in Imo, said the pharmacist was shot in the chest by the suspected kidnappers.

“Following a distress call received on 23/02/2024, at about 2108hrs, that a young man was shot at Umugada market junction, Irete, by suspected kidnappers, the divisional police officer in charge of Ogbaku in Mbaitoli LGA of Imo state swiftly mobilized his men to the scene where they met a man later identified as Henry Ogbuji, lying on the ground in the pool of his own blood, with severe bullet injuries on his chest,” the statement reads.

“The operatives immediately rushed him to Federal Medical Center, Owerri where he was confirmed dead and thereafter deposited at the morgue for preservation.

“Frantic Investigation is ongoing to fish out the hoodlums responsible for the dastardly act and make them face the full wrath of the law.

“Accordingly, adequate security measures have been emplaced to forestall future occurrences.”