Unidentified gunmen have shot and killed a well-known politician, Ejike Ukwueze, in Enugu State.

Reports indicate that Ukwueze was murdered on Friday night while driving in Neke Odenigbo, located in the Enugu East Local Government Area.

Ukwueze was the immediate younger brother of the late Chijioke Ukwueze, a former member representing the Isi-Uzo constituency in the Enugu Assembly, who collapsed and died during a plenary session in 2020.

A source close to the family suggests the killing was politically motivated, describing it as an assassination. The source noted that Ukwueze was gaining significant influence in the Isi-Uzo political scene ahead of the October local government elections.

“Yeah, I heard he was a strong contender. Aside from intending to run in the local government election, he was becoming a force in Isi-Uzo political affairs, standing in for his late brother, who was a highly respected and powerful political figure in Isi-Uzo,” the source stated.