Engr. Dons Udeh, a former member of the State Executive Council of Enugu State, was brutally assassinated and his body was found dumped at the 9th Mile area of Enugu State on April 26, 2023. The Forum of Past Members of the State Executive Council of Enugu State expressed their shock and utmost disbelief in a press conference released by Hon. John N. Eze for the Secretariat.

Engr. Dons Udeh was declared missing on Saturday, April 22, 2023, and the Forum prayed fervently for his safe return to his family. Unfortunately, he was found dead, leaving behind very young children. His contributions towards deepening the democratic process in Enugu State and Nigeria cannot be overemphasized. He was a political mobilizer and workhorse par excellence, and his political journey saw him occupying various high profile political positions in Enugu State and at the Federal level.

The abduction and assassination of Engr. Dons Udeh is one of the many high-profile murders, abductions, and assassinations that Enugu State has unfortunately witnessed in recent times. The cold-blooded assassination of the former Chairman of Oji River, and Commissioner for Rural Development, Chief Nze Gab Onuzulike and his brother, the assassination and burning of the bodies of the erstwhile Labour Party Senatorial Candidate for Enugu East Senatorial Zone, Barr Oyibo Chukwu and his driver, and the equally gruesome murder of Engr. Kevin Ojobo are but a few of the killings that have occurred in the very recent past, apparently without any repercussions.

The Forum of Past Members of the State Executive Council of Enugu State condemned in the strongest terms the lack of capacity and ineffectiveness of relevant government security agencies, who appear to be failing to vigorously investigate the wave of wanton criminality that has enveloped the state in recent times. One has not heard of the arrest and prosecution of any culprit in these crimes. The dear Coal City is fast losing its prized and coveted serene and tranquil state, leading to citizens living in abject and mortified fear.

The murder of Engr. Dons Udeh will not join the list of those unsolved murders swept under the carpet. The Forum promised to keep his case frontline and center stage until the relevant security agencies do the needful and bring the culprits to book. They called on the government of the day to direct the law enforcement agencies to redouble their efforts, do the necessary investigations, and fish out the culpable persons involved in this criminality to face the wrath of the law. Technology should be utilized to know those who spoke with Engr. Dons Ude on that fateful Saturday. There are copious opportunities for investigations that will lead to the discovery of the assassins, and the government and law enforcement agencies should step up to this responsibility.

The Forum of Past Members of the State Executive Council of Enugu State called on the incoming government to ensure that government is focused on ensuring the peace and security hitherto enjoyed in Enugu State. They expressed their heartfelt condolences to his immediate family at this trying time for the irreplaceable loss of their loved one. They assured them of their continued concern for their welfare and promised them that their bond with their husband and father would not be extinguished by this crime that underscores the depravity that has become their new reality.

Engr. Dons Udeh was a man of mirth and humour, an irrepressible spirit, and a courageous person. The Forum of Past Members of the State Executive Council of Enugu State will never forget him, and they will not rest until the circumstances of his untimely and hideous death are unravelled. They also prayed for a happy repose of his soul.