Police say NECO registrar not murdered

 

The police say the report of the NECO registrar being assassinated was "totally false, untrue and a pure piece of fake news."

 

The police in Niger State have debunked reports suggesting that the Registrar of the National Examination Council (NECO), Godswill Obioma, was assassinated.

 

“The attention of Niger State Police Command has been drawn to a publication circulating in some sections of social media and national dailies that NECO Registrar, Prof. Godswill Obioma was murdered by unknown gunmen in Minna.

 

“This story is totally false, untrue and a pure piece of fake news,” the police spokesperson in the state, Wasiu Abiodun, said in a Wednesday statement.

 

He said the family of Mr Obioma formally announced that he died after a brief illness at National Hospital Abuja on Tuesday.

 

“Members of the public are hereby urged to disregard the fake news and news reporters are advised to always verify their report before publication to avoid creating unnecessary panic and fear in the public domain,” Mr Wasiu stated further.

 

The late NECO boss, was, until his appointment to head NECO, was the Ebonyi State Resident Electoral Commissioner of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

 

He is survived by his wife and children.

 

His son, Godswill Alexander Obioma (Junior), had earlier confirmed the death of Mr Obioma to the NECO management.

 

In a telephone interview with this newspaper, he confirmed the message earlier sent to the examination body, stating that he died of a natural cause.