IHIALA, Nigeria (CHATNEWSTV) — Former Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi has condemned the killing of Rev. Fr. Tobias Okonkwo, a Catholic priest and manager of the College of Nursing Sciences at Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital in Ihiala, Anambra State, who was shot dead by gunmen on Thursday.
Obi, a former governor of Anambra State, expressed his grief on Saturday, describing the murder as “heartbreaking and unfortunate” in a series of tweets.
“Today, I woke up to the heartbreaking news of the tragic and unfortunate death of Rev. Fr. Tobias Okonkwo,” Obi tweeted. “The constant killing of our very productive men and women by some bloodmongers is beyond heartbreaking.”
The priest was killed along the Onitsha-Owerri Expressway, a hotspot for criminal activities in the region.
Obi, who has been a vocal critic of the government’s handling of insecurity, decried the ongoing violence across Nigeria, which he said undermines the country’s future.
“In many parts of the nation, the blood of our brothers and sisters whose lives were cut short by insecurity continue to cry,” Obi said. “How many more lives will be wasted before we rise to action and put an end to this menace contending with our future as a nation?”
He extended his condolences to the family of the slain priest and the nursing college, where he said the tragedy has caused significant devastation.
“As one who has continuously visited and partnered with the College of Nursing Sciences, Ihiala, I understand how devastating this incident is to the College community,” Obi said.
The late Fr. Okonkwo, born on August 11, 1984, and ordained a Catholic priest on July 11, 2015, was a respected figure in the community.
Authorities in Anambra have not yet identified or apprehended the assailants responsible for the killing.
