Gunmen shoot Jonathan’s official photographer

                                     

President Goodluck Jonathan’s official photographer, Mr. Callistus Ewelike, was on Monday night shot by unknown gunmen in Abuja.

Ewelike, a photojournalist with the News Agency of Nigeria is attached to the State House, Abuja, and he is currently acting as the President’s official photographer.

The father of two was reportedly shot at a close range in front of his house in Nyanya in the outskirts of the Federal Capital Territory, between 10pm and 11pm.

He was said to be returning to his house after filing the photographs he took during Jonathan’s visit to Shape Community in the FCT, where the President inaugurated the Operation Light Up Rural Nigeria Project when the incident happened.

An eyewitness told our correspondent that the attack was carried out by two men on a motorcycle.

The eyewitness said, “The two men were apparently waiting for him at his residence. While one of them was on the motorbike, the guy who pulled the trigger was standing, waiting for him.

“As the victim parked his car and was making his way into his house, the armed man shot him in the neck at a close range. The gunshot attracted some residents of the area, so the two men quickly sped off on the motorbike.”

No personal belonging was stolen from the victim.

Ewelike was rushed by his neighbours to the National Hospital, Abuja, where medical doctors as of Tuesday were attending to him.

Our correspondent visited the victim at the hospital on Tuesday.

A source in the hospital said the x-ray conducted on the photographer showed that the bullet that entered through his neck was lodged at a spot close to his shoulder.

Armed men had also visited Ewelike’s residence few weeks back.

They left with his working tools, including his camera and a laptop and a few other personal effects.

Our correspondent learnt that security agents were already investigating the attempt on Ewelike’s life.

The Police Public Relations Officer, FCT Command, Altine Daniel, on Tuesday confirmed the incident.

Daniel said the FCT Commissioner of Police, Mr. Femi Ogunbayide, had directed that full scale investigation be carried out on the case.