She stepped unto the steps of a church for her usual Sunday morning 10.00AM mass, gun shots rang out and dead lay Mrs. Patricia Obiageli Chidiac! The Imo State-born Nigerian business-woman, married to Lebanese Mr. Malik Habib Chidiac, was assassinated by four gunmen on Sunday May 3, 2009. The crime scene, the holy grounds of Sacred Heart Catholic Church Apapa Lagos! A place of worship, hitherto and in other civilizations considered sacred, now desecrated by these marauding beasts of Nigeria. Bandits who seemingly have operating-cover from Nigerian security agencies including the police; otherwise how does one explain their brazen audacity striking in the full glare of a fully congregated church and in broad daylight? So many unsolved murder mysteries in Nigeria has now been augmented by this one murder inside a God's house? Icheoku says this is an affront on God, the Catholic church and Nigerians in general and deserves a decisive action to bring the culprits in and punish them severely. It is instructive to note that the late Patricia had her police protection, which was assigned to her due to numerous death threats, withdrawn just on Friday May 1 and two days later on May 3, she was killed. It is also a major coincidence that the now widower-husband allegedly left Nigerian shores with the couples' four children on the same Friday that his wife's security detail was withdrawn? Icheoku asks, was the husband's action a result of fear for the lives of their four children or to provide a clean alibi should the law decide to focus its radar on him following his wife's murder? And in a twisted macabre manner, the "bereaved" husband now says that he does not want police investigation into the gruesome murder of his wife; forcing Icheoku to ask, what a loving husband would suggest that his wife's murder be left cold, except his hands are bloodied by the wife's blood?
The murder of Patricia was witnessed by the congregation as well as the parish priest, Reverend Father Andrew Sullivan, who was officiating the mass. According to the account, two of the gunmen laid in-wait inside the church, perfectly blending as parishioners, while two others were on a mounted motorcycle waiting outside! This shows that they painstakingly followed the victim's routine which suggests a perfect job of hired assassins? Icheoku calls on the pope and the local catholic church in Nigeria should demand a thorough investigation of this murder and the punishment of all culpable parties thereto. The irony of this murder is that the victim went out of her way to try and purchase security for herself due to numerous death threats she had received, including three bullet-proof vehicles. She had driven in one of the vehicles, a fortified Mercedes SUV, to the church; but unbeknownst to her, the assassins had outsmarted her and had correctly figured out her most vulnerable time? The assassins clearly understood that she will be most vulnerable in the house of God and decided to strike where she would not be sitting behind the protective amour of her bullet-proof vehicles? Psalm 127 tells us that the sentinel watches in vain except the Lord watches with him? That no amount of security is sufficient to protect a person from a willing evil person which this murder further confirms? Icheoku says, so much for bullet-proof vehicles as this lays to bare, the billions being wasted by Nigerian politicians on armoured vehicle acquisitions? Only a window of opportunity defeats the effort as this case just proved! Anyway, this murder like so many other unsolved murders in Nigeria unfortunately, will similarly soon turn cold due to the lackadaisical investigation inertia of the Nigerian police which is never accredited with solving any major serious crime in Nigeria? Icheoku says, shame on President Umaru Yar'Adua for continuing to retain the Inspector General of Police, Mike Okiro, whose incompetency has made Nigeria worse off and is daily being made subject of public ridicule and scum. It is regrettable that such an enterprising woman would be cut down in her prime and inside a church in broad daylight with impunity? Adieu Pat!
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Christy 'Apena' Essien-Igbokwe , the wife of Jegede Shokoya of the New Masquerade and Nigeria's lady of songs is dead; she was 51years old. Although her family claimed that "brief Illness" killed her like so many Nigerians; Icheoku retorts that it was most likely AKwa Ibom voodoo and remote control that was used to arrest her. It is on record that she had fallen out with the governor of her native Akwa Ibiom State and have been having a relentless war for political turf with the governor? So who knows whether she was sacrificed to Ekpe cult or even Alusi-Okija as an offal; afterall African science is still very much alive and portent. May her soul rest in peace.
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