A top counsels to the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State, Barrister Ken Atsuwete has been murdered by gunmen in Ikwerre LGA during the early hours of Monday.
The popular human right activist is one of the leading cousels to the detained chieftain of the APC and former chairman of Asari-Toru local government area of the state, Hon. Ojukaye Flag-Amachree.
Leadership newspaper reported that he was abducted by gunmen from his residence, and later shot dead before his corpse was thrown into a drainage.
Reacting, APC spokesman, Chris Finebone, said the murder of Atsuwete was politically-related and called on the Inspector-General of Police, and the Director-General of the Department of State Services (DSS) to ensure that they unravel those behind the heinous crime.
In the same vien, NIMASSA boss, Peterside Dakuku described his killing as a barbaric and gruesome assassination.
Peterside said he condemn in strongest term the barbaric, nasty and heinous assassination of Barrister Ken Atsuwete in Port Harcourt, Rivers State today. This is perhaps the deadliest of several politically-motivated killings perpetrated in Rivers state in recent times.
“Ken Atsuwete was a prominent human rights activist, political commentator, fiery critic of bad governance, citizen activist and most recently lawyer to Hon. Ojukaye Flag-Amachree, the APC leader held for trumped-up charges.”
“Without any doubt, the killers of Ken Atsuwete were driven by the insidious objective of instilling fear in the rank of the opposition, silence every voice of reason and stifle opposition in Rivers State. The killing of Ken Atsuwete is perhaps the height of impunity which is now an everyday way of life in my home state of Rivers.”
“I call on the Inspector-General of Police, Director-General of State Security Service and other national security authorities to carry out extensive investigation of this awful incident, bring the perpetrators to book and restore sanity to our dear State.”
“The current government in Rivers State owes us a responsibility to protect lives and property no matter the political persuasion of who is involved.”
“Indeed, I mourn with the immediate family of Ken Atsuwete, his associates and APC political family on this needless loss of the Voice of Reason.”
