Nigerian president outrages over party member's murder by gunmen

By Olarewaju Kola

MAIDUGURI, Nigeria (AA) - Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari said he was outraged by the assassination of his party man by unknown gunmen Sunday in the country's southeastern Owerri city.

"I'm repulsed by such premeditated and gruesome murder of (Ahmed) Gulak by evil people who are determined to undermine the peace, unity and territorial integrity of our country," the president said in a statement released by his spokesman Garba Shehu.

Buhari described the killing of Gulak, a chieftain of the president's All Progressive Congress party, as "outrageous and disgusting."

He vowed to deploy all resources to fish out and brought to justice killers of the politician.

Police said Gulak was intercepted and killed by six armed bandits on his way to the airport in Owerri on Sunday morning, minutes after leaving his hotel room.

"He left his hotel without informing the police nor sister agencies, in view of the fragile security situation in the southeast," the police said.

The killing has generated a huge outcry in parts of the country.