Mr Anthony Eze, a big-time importer of goods from China, had lent millions of naira (between N5m and N16m) to one of his best friends, Mr Augustine Nwamba, an importer also, in October last year. Rather than pay back, Nwamba, who is from Eha-Alumona in Nsukka LGA of Enugu State, hired assassins to eliminate Eze, who shares the same LGA with him but is from Umuagede village in Obukpa town.
On November 6, 2014, Nwamba lured his victim to a relaxation spot in Tungamaji, Zuba, FCT, after both of them had closed their shops at Zuba market. Hired goons shot Eze as he was driving out of the garden and took his phone. Eze’s “best friend” who had driven off just a few minutes earlier was told what happened on the phone and he drove back to the scene. No serious effort was made to take him to a hospital until four hours later, about 11pm.
A girlfriend of one of the hired assassins received the phone as a gift. She approached a GSM provider’s office to help her erase all information on the phone. Then, detectives moved in…
Two of the hoodlums were arrested. They confessed that Nwamba hired them to kill Eze. Nwamba himself has been arrested and he is now singing at the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), Abuja.
The story of this murderer, who is suspected to belong to a robbery gang also, is now being told everywhere in Zuba market, Abuja. Fellow traders have purchased copies of the Vanguard newspaper of February 21, 2015, that carries the story but hides Nwamba’s name. Some of the hired assassins also traded wares at the Zuba market, just like Nwamba and Eze.
In Nsukka township, the tale is being told too. A people previously noted for their sincerity and uprightness have lost their innocence: until two or three decades ago, it was rare to find a person from Nsukka cultural zone (comprising seven LGAs of Enugu State now) was ever involved in crimes like armed robbery, assassination or 419 fraud.
The people of Obukpa (the victim’s hometown) are excited that, at last, the murderer of their son has been found. They had rejected Nwamba’s cow gift during Eze’s funeral in December, apparently because they suspected he had a hand in the murder.
In Eha-Alumona, the assassin’s hometown, everyone is shocked that the man they thought became wealthy through hard work was actually a robber and a murderer.
Security operatives are still working to unravel other accomplices in the murder of Eze, 39, who left behind a widow and two children. Eyeway learned that, in his lifetime, Eze had complained that he was being owed more than N16 million. The assassin now in the net, Nwamba, was said to have admitted he was owing Eze only N5million.
##
Tony Eze: Assassinated by His Debtor-friend
By
Posted on