Mr Randie Chima, a Senior Special Assistant to Governor Willie Obiano of Anambra State, has been found dead in his room on the Nwakpodulu Avenue, Awka, the Anambra State capital, Punch Metro reports.
Southern City News reports that the governor’s aide was last seen on Friday evening “hale and hearty”.
A source, who pleaded anonymity, told Punch Metro that he and others were with Chima at a social joint on Friday evening.
He said, “I’m surprised to hear this story. That Randie is dead? We were together on Friday. He was hale and hearty. A good man is gone. Randie exercised almost regularly at Ekwueme Square.”
It was gathered that when his neighbours did not see him throughout the next day, his room was forced open and his dead body found lying on the bed.
The Police Public Relations Officer in the state, Haruna Mohammed, confirmed the incident to our correspondent on Sunday.
He said, “There was a report at B Division, Awka that one Randie Chima, aged 57 years of Nwakpodulu Avenue and SSA to Anambra State Governor on Audiovisual Productions, slept the previous night and did not open his door the next day.
“When the door was eventually forced opened after several knocks by his neighbours, his lifeless body was found lying on the bed.
“Following the report, police detectives attached to B Division, Awka, led by the DCO, visited the scene, photographed the victim and rushed him to Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University Teaching Hospital, Awka, where he was certified dead by a medical doctor.”
Mohammed said the corpse had been deposited at a morgue for autopsy.
“No marks of violence and no foul play suspected at the moment,” he said.
He said investigation was ongoing to ascertain the circumstances surrounding the death.