Dr. Ben Nwoye, former Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Enugu State, has vehemently condemned the ongoing violence and unsolved murders in the state, urging residents to end the “conspiracy of silence” and assist in identifying the perpetrators.
In a recent statement, Dr. Nwoye expressed his frustration with the lack of progress in solving high-profile murder cases, including the recent killing of Chief Stephen Aniagu, Chairman of the Ogbete Main Market Traders Association (OMMTA). He criticized the state’s security agencies for their failure to apprehend the culprits, despite the 48-hour deadline set by the government for the investigation.
Nwoye highlighted several previous cases of political and community leaders who were murdered, such as the 2018 attack on himself and the subsequent deaths of Kevin Ezeoha, Chidera Ogaba, and Chief Barr. Oyibo Chukwu. He pointed out the repeated promises by authorities to solve these cases, which he believes have not been fulfilled.
He urged the people of Enugu to stop protecting the murderers, emphasizing that many of the killers are known within the community. Nwoye called for an end to the “conspiracy of silence,” stressing that solving these crimes requires active community involvement and the courage to report those responsible.
“The conspiracy of silence must cease,” Nwoye declared. “We can no longer afford to hide under the unholy blanket of ‘Unknown Gunmen.’ The gunmen are well known to us because they live among us. Someone in our community knows who killed Chief Stephen Aniagu and others. The time to speak out is now.”
Nwoye’s plea highlights a growing frustration with the state’s handling of violent crimes and a call for greater community engagement in addressing the issue.