The deceased, whose pastime was hunting, had gone to the bush to check on a trap before he was trailed and killed by yet to be identified men.The state commissioner for Information and Communications, Mrs. Ibim Semenitari, who disclosed this to journalists in Port Harcourt yesterday, said the mutilated body was discovered on the same Monday night by a search party set up by the villagers.
Semenitari stated that the murder has been reported to the Elele Police Division, while the corpse of the governor's cousin has been deposited at a private mortuary.
According to Semenitari, "Late Mr. Sabinus Ordu, who is an uncle (actually a senior cousin because they share same grandfather) to Governor Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, returned home in the afternoon from CSS, Aluu where he is the vice principal and told the boy staying with him that he was going into the bush to check his traps.
"He then mounted his motorcycle and left for the bush but did not return until it was night. At about 8.00pm, the boy raised the alarm, which attracted the villagers. A search party was sent to look for him.
"The search party on their way into the bush saw the victim's motorcycle by the bush path, and went into the bush where they found his lifeless body, mutilated with several machete cuts. The matter has been reported to the Police at Elele while the body has been deposited at the morgue."
She said while the State Government would not immediately conclude that the murder was politically motivated, the state was equally concerned considering the fact that the 2015 general elections were fast approaching.
She called on the police to fish out perpetrators of the act and ensure they were brought to justice.
Her words: "We are concerned about this development, especially because these are ominous signs as we get closer to the general elections. We don't want to point accusing fingers, but Mr. Ordu was a peace-loving man. He was a simple citizen and was not into government contracts. Perhaps, his only crime was that he is related to Governor Amaechi.
"We are calling on the Police bring Mr. Ordu's killers to book. This cannot be another mystery murder; this cannot be another unresolved murder case. The people of Rivers State will continue to resist the murder of innocent people. God alone gives life and only God can take a life. This is a crime against the innocent and the poor.
"At this point, we are unwilling to cast aspersions; we are hoping that his murder is not politically motivated. We can't adduce any reason. The truth is that indicator points to the murder as political, but we want the police to carry out its investigations. He was a civil servant and therefore, could not have been a card-carrying member of any political party."
Meanwhile, the State police command has confirmed that it has received report of the murder but said they were yet to establish any relationship between the deceased and the governor.
The state Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Mr. Ahmad Muhammad (DSP), said, "We have received the complaint about the murder of one Mr. Sabinus Ordu and we are doing everything possible to ensure that those behind the dastardly act are apprehended.”
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