Management of the National Examinations Council (NECO) has faulted the claims that its Registrar, Professor Godswill Obioma, was assassinated in Minna, Niger State.
KanyiDaily recalls that Obioma’s wife was quoted as saying that her husband was strangled to death on Monday night by assassins who broke into their home in Minna.
“The assassins came in and killed him and left without taking anything,” Elizabeth Obioma told Peoples Gazette on phone.
However, in a statement on Tuesday, NECO spokesman, Azeez Sani, quoted another family sources saying that late Obioma died on Monday after a brief illness.
“This is contrary to insinuations in the social media that the late registrar was assassinated in his residence in Minna,” he said while appealing to the staff of the council to remain calm.
Niger State Police Command also corroborated the account of NECO and condemned the reports that Professor Obioma was murdered by gunmen in Minna.
“This story is totally false, untrue, and a pure element of fake news. It is important to state categorically that on 31st May 2021 the Registrar/CEO National Examinations Council (NECO), Professor Godswill Obioma was rushed to the National Hospital, Abuja by his family members where he was later confirmed dead, after a brief illness,” said a statement by the command’s spokesman, Wasiu Abiodun.
“However, the family of the deceased has also confirmed the incident and formally notify the management and staff of NECO of the demise of the registrar.
“Members of the public are hereby urged to disregard the fake news and news reporters are advised to always verify their report before publication to avoid creating unnecessary panic and fear in the public domain.”
This incident comes up barely 48 hours after Ahmed Gulak, former PDP Chairman and a former political adviser to Former President Goodluck Jonathan was gunned down in Owerri, raising widespread fears of insecurity.