Youths, women protest killing of medical doctor in Mbaise

BY CHIDI NKWOPARA
OWERRI — Scores of youths and aged women, yesterday blocked the ever busy Owerri-Umuahia federal highway at Nkwogwu, Aboh Mbaise Local Government Area to protest the gruesome murder of their son and medical practitioner, Dr. Nonye Nwaise.

The peaceful protest, which lasted over two hours, truncated free flow of traffic on the highway until a detachment of policemen, led by J. P. Modi, a Chief Superintendent of Police, was moved in to restore peace in the area.

Vanguard investigations revealed that the slain Dr. Nwaise was a staff of Federal Medical Centre, Owerri, and was attacked and killed at a viewing centre, by three armed men, who were operating on a motorcycle.

All the people who spoke to Vanguard on the murder fumed over what they termed “the increasing spate of insecurity in Imo State.”

The villagers recalled with grief, how the late doctor attended to the health challenges of the villagers and most times, at no cost to the patients and their relations.

Particularly touching was the participation of a 73-year-old woman, Mrs. Chinyere Ogu, in the protest.

She condemned the killing of the 42-year-old doctor, saying: “He was down to earth during his life time. He was a solid defender of his people, especially the downtrodden. We have truly lost a rare gem.”