The family of 43-year-old commercial bus driver Ifeanyi Christopher Nworie, popularly known as Agima, has demanded justice following his death from gunshot injuries sustained during violence surrounding the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) campaign activities in Enugu State.
The family is demanding the arrest and prosecution of the person who fired the fatal shot, other individuals allegedly involved in the attack and anyone found to have sponsored the violence.
According to an exclusive report by SaharaReporters published on Wednesday, October 14, 2026, Nworie was not a politician or campaign organiser but a commercial bus driver who was returning home after dropping off passengers when he encountered the disturbance near Parklane Hospital in Enugu on Saturday, October 10.
His elder brother, Engr. Afam Nworie, told the publication that the deceased had dropped passengers at Old Park and was returning in his Toyota bus when he approached the IMT Junction area near a shopping mall close to Parklane Hospital.
According to Afam, Nworie noticed people running and shouting in the area. He reportedly stopped his vehicle and got down to find out what was happening when a bullet struck him in the chest.
The 43-year-old fell near his bus and began bleeding, leaving those at the scene to seek urgent medical assistance.
Afam said someone at the scene picked up the victim’s phone and contacted the last person he had spoken to before the shooting. The call reached his twin brother, who immediately rushed to the location.
With assistance from other people, the injured driver was taken to Parklane Hospital. However, the family said the facility could not provide the treatment required for his gunshot wound and referred him to the National Orthopaedic Hospital in Enugu.
At the orthopaedic hospital, doctors reportedly conducted scans and informed the family that the bullet had passed through his body, causing serious internal damage near his heart and lungs. According to Afam, the medical team said he required emergency surgery.
The family was subsequently referred to a private hospital in the Government Reserved Area of Enugu, where an urgent operation was arranged after payment was demanded.
Afam said the family raised and transferred ₦4 million to cover the surgery.
He explained that the operation was carried out on Saturday evening and that, approximately three hours later, a doctor contacted the family to say the surgery had been successful and that Nworie was sleeping.
The family initially remained hopeful that he would recover. However, on Sunday morning, October 11, relatives were informed that he had not regained consciousness and was still receiving treatment in the intensive care unit.
Afam said the family continued praying while relying on the earlier assurance from the medical team.
He further alleged that later on Sunday, his brother’s twin reported that some people, including police officers and the governor’s Chief Security Officer, had visited the hospital. According to Afam, they spoke with the family’s mother and assured her that they would take responsibility for the treatment and arrange for Nworie to be transferred to the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital for further care.
The family was subsequently informed that Nworie had died between 9 p.m. and 10 p.m. that Sunday.
Afam expressed grief over the loss, saying the family had been left devastated by the circumstances surrounding his brother’s death. He also questioned why, according to him, the family had received no subsequent contact from government officials or the police concerning the case.
He said the NDC governorship candidate, Christian Chinyeaka Ohaa, was the only person who had visited the family to offer condolences following the death.
The deceased, who was born on April 24, 1983, reportedly had plans to marry his fiancée and was preparing to visit her family to formalise their union. His death has also left his twin brother grieving the loss of his closest sibling.
Afam said their 83-year-old mother had been particularly affected by the tragedy.
“We demand justice. All the people involved in the shooting must be arrested and their sponsors,” he told SaharaReporters, expressing concern about recurring violence during political activities in Enugu.
The killing has become part of a wider controversy surrounding attacks on NDC members and supporters during campaign-related activities on October 10.
The party said its supporters were attacked at the campaign office of its governorship candidate in the GRA area of Enugu, while separate confrontations occurred at Akanu Ibiam International Airport, where supporters had gathered to welcome Ohaa.
The Enugu State Government, through Secretary to the State Government Chidiebere Onyia, initially said Nworie had sustained a gunshot wound but was receiving medical attention. The government disputed reports that anyone had died and denied involvement in the violence.
The government also said the airport confrontation followed disagreements over the approval required for the planned gathering. The NDC rejected that account, maintaining that it had notified relevant security agencies and arguing that the government was attempting to shift responsibility for the violence.
Governor Peter Mbah subsequently called for a thorough and impartial investigation, saying anyone found responsible for criminal acts should be held accountable through the legal process.
The Enugu State Police Command has also announced an investigation into the shootings and directed investigators to identify and apprehend the perpetrators. However, as of October 14, no arrest had been publicly announced in connection with Nworie’s death in the reports reviewed.
The NDC and other concerned groups have called for an independent investigation into the incidents, while Nworie’s family insists that those responsible for the shooting must be identified and prosecuted.
For the bereaved family, the demand goes beyond financial compensation or expressions of sympathy. They want answers about how a man returning home from work became a victim of political violence and why those responsible have yet to face justice.
As investigations continue, the circumstances surrounding the fatal shooting, including who fired the weapon and whether anyone organised or sponsored the attack, remain matters for the authorities to establish through credible evidence.
