Malaysia-Base Man Held By COVID-19 Lockdown Killed Inside Barbing Saloon In Abia (Graphic Photo)

A 36-year-old man, Mr. Samuel Kalu, popularly known as ‘Akilu’ (Bitter Kola) has been shot dead by unknown gunmen.

Mr. Kalu who was killed while having a haircut at a barbing saloon located at Umuibe Street, off Item Road, Ndiegoro Aba, Abia State was based in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

He had returned to Nigeria before the COVID-19 lockdown and was planning to return to the Southeast Asian country before he was assassinated.

ABN TV reports that the incident, which took place on Sunday morning, threw residents of the area into panic, as they ran away from their homes for fear of the unknown gunmen.

Mr. Kalu, who hailed from Igbere, in Bende Local Government Area of the state, was born and bred at the Ndiegoro axis of Aba where he was incidentally killed.

He is survived by his wife, his daughter and aged parents that he was staying with when he recently returned from his base in Malaysia some months ago.

A source close to the deceased told our correspondent that while Kalu was having his haircut, he got a call from unknown persons and immediately after answering the call, unknown gunmen besieged the barbing saloon.

According to the source, the gunmen shot Kalu on the head at a close range while on the chair and took his phone away, ostensibly to conceal their identity through the last call he received which might have been theirs.

Some residents of the area pleaded with Governor Okezie Ikpeazu to do something about the security situation of the entire Ndiegoro axis of Aba, especially the Ngwa Road and Ohanku areas.

Confirming the incident ABN TV, Abia Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), SP Geoffrey Ogbonna said the incident has been officially reported at Ndiegoro police Station.

He added that the corpse of the deceased has been evacuated to the morgue, maintaining that manhunt for perpetrators of the dastardly act has commenced.

He called on the public to assist with any useful information that will lead to arrest of the suspects.