President Muhammadu Buhari has expressed outrage and disgust over what he called “the heinous murder of Adamawa politician Ahmed Gulak in Owerri, Imo State by yet to be identified gunmen.”
Reacting to the development on Sunday, the President said: “I’m repulsed by such premeditated and gruesome murder of Gulak by evil people who are determined to undermine the peace, unity, and territorial integrity of our country.
“Let me warn however that nobody or group of people who engages in such despicable acts should expect to go free. We will deploy all resources at our disposal to ensure that such callous and criminal elements are brought to justice.”
Special media aide, Garba Shehu in a statement said President Buhari expressed his “deep condolences to the family of the deceased, the people and government of Adamawa State as well as his friends and associates all over the country”.
Intercepted by bandits
Gunmen on Sunday killed a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Ahmed Gulak around Umueze Obiangwu in Ngor-Okpala Local Government Area close to the Sam Mbakwe Airport road in Owerri, Imo State.
Sources told Channels Television that Gulak who was a former aide to ex-President Goodluck Jonathan was heading to the airport on Sunday when the assailants attacked him and shot him on the spot.
Gulak was trailed from his hotel room to the spot where he was killed.
The Public Relations Officer of the Imo Police Command Bala Elkana confirmed the incident.
In a statement released shortly after the incident, the police spokesman said: “On the 30/5/2021, at about 07:20hrs, armed bandits intercepted and attacked a Toyota Camry cab carrying Ahmed Gulak and two others who were on their way to Sam Mbakwe Airport to catch a flight.
“Ahmed Gulak left his room at Protea Hotel without informing the Police nor sister agencies in view of the fragile security situation in the South East and Imo in particular.
“He left without any security escorts and while the cab driver took an irregular route to the airport, six armed bandits who rode in a Toyota Sienna intercepted, identified, and shot at Ahmed Gulak around Umueze Obiangwu in Ngor-Okpala Local Government Area close to the Airport.”
Elkana also said the Commissioner of Police in the southeast state Abutu Yaro has directed “a discreet investigation into the matter as Tactical and Special forces have been deployed to cordon the area and arrest perpetrators.”
Leaving PDP
He was the chairman of the APC committee that conducted the primaries for the Imo governorship election in 2018.
In January 2016, Gulak, a former member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) had declared himself as the national chairman of the party following the crises that rocked the PDP.
Two years later, he left the then-ruling PDP for the APC. He cited “impunity” and “injustice” in the PDP for his decision.
In April 2014, Gulak was sacked as Jonathan’s special adviser on political matters but the former Nigerian leader did not give any reason for his dismissal.
He resigned – some days later – as the national coordinator of the Goodluck Support Group (GSG).