The late Kwara State commissioner of Police, Mr. Chinwike Asadu, would have come alive as his remains were buried yesterday amidst flood of tears from hundreds of mourners who converged on the St Victor’s Catholic Church, Onuiyi in Nsukka Local Government Area of Enugu State, for a burial mass in his honour.
Asadu was laid to rest after a funeral mass celebrated by over 50 catholic priests, and also attended by clergymen from other Christian denominations. Deputy Governor of Enugu State, Sunday Onyebuchi led a delegation from the Enugu State Government, which also had the Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Eugene Odo. Anambra State Deputy Governor, Mr. Emeka Sibendu represented Governor Peter Obi at the event.
Other personalities at the burial included Senator Ayogu Eze, representing Enugo North Senatorial Zone, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, representing Igbo-Eze North/Udenu in the House of Representatives, former National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Chief Okwesilieze Nwodo, former Information Minister, Nnia Nwodo, Nigeria’s ambassador to Uganda, Chief Fidel Ayogu, Deputy Vice Chancellor, Academic, of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Prof. Malachy Okwueze, among others.
A special Kwara State delegation to the ceremony was led by Mr. Leke Ogungbe, the Deputy Chief of Staff to Governor Ahmed Abdulfatah. The Kwara Police Command, led by AC Adewale Olatunji, was not left out as they featured prominently. In a special tribute to the late commissioner, the Inspector General of Police, IGP, Mohammed Abubakar said the police would leave no stone unturned towards tracking down his killers.
He said although Asadu had been buried, investigations on the circumstances that led to his death would not be buried until his killers were brought to book. The IGP, who was represented by Deputy Inspector General of Police, Mr. Kachi Udorji said Asadu’s killers should not rejoice as “they had murdered sleep and would never sleep. Sleep shall forever elude you”. He described the late commissioner as “a fine officer and a gentleman”, who discharged his duty with “characteristic efficiency and speed”.
“So, I want to assure all Nigerians that although Asadu has been buried today, we shall continue working hard to find his killers. I want to reiterate the commitment of the Nigerian Police that no stone will be left un-turned in our quest to unmask the perpetrators of this crime”. Senator Eze expressed deep pain over the death of the Police Commissioner, stressing that every effort should be put in place to apprehend his killers.
“We on the part of government condemn this act very strongly; we are urging the police force to continue with the investigations and get at the perpetrators of this heinous act,” he added.
Also in a remark, the Enugu State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Tonye Ebitibituwa said Asadu’s death had remained a huge blow to him as well as to the Nigerian Police. The CP, in eulogizing his late colleague, described him as “a dedicated and honest officer who gave all to the service of humanity”.
Earlier in a homily, the Rev. Fr. Josephat Obodo decried the level of assassinations, kidnappings and armed robbery in Nigeria, noting that the situation was scaring Nigerians in Diaspora away from the country. Obodo, who said he returned from abroad to participate in the burial, re-called how he was discouraged from returning to Nigeria as a result of the rise in crime.
The cleric described Asadu’s death as “an over whelming tragedy”, emphasizing that the family should take solace in the litany of tributes that had poured in since his demise. Obodo, who said the late Police Commissioner carried his financial responsibilities during his days in the seminary school, said “he was living in two bed-room flat and whenever we teased him, he would ask us, ‘do you want me to steal?’.
“He went to Nike, in Enugu where land is sold at the cost of N250, 000; he didn’t go to other choice areas in the state capital where land goes for N50 million. Besides, he started by erecting what is commonly called ‘Boys Quarter’, before the main building.
This attests to his humility and simplicity”. In a remark, the Chairman of Nsukka Local Government Area, Tony Ugwu said the council was grieved to lose the highest ranked police officer from the area in such manner. He urged security agents to live up to their promise of arresting the killers.
MAY HIS GENTLE SOUL REST IN PEACE.AMEN
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