A musician, Roco Nnadiekwe, with a stage name Ja Rule, was on Sunday shot dead as gunmen and Nigerian Army personnel clashed in Orlu community in Imo State.
The musician, a 2007 graduate of Political Science from the Alvan Ikoku Federal College of Education, Owerri, was said to have returned to his hometown from Port Harcourt, Rivers State, last week and was supposed to shoot a video of his latest song (single) in Owerri, on Monday, before his death.
A popular musician in the state, Obinna Okoro, known as Acharaman, who is a friend of the 38-year-old entertainer confirmed the incident to Punch.
Mourning his colleague, Okoro said “Roco (Ja rule) is my brother and friend since our university days. His dream was to be successful in life through his music. After our graduation, Roco went to Port Harcourt in search of his family’s betterment.
“He returned to music three years ago and later we recorded a song which he featured me in his 1st single called “ONYE NA WAY YA.”
“Last week Roco returned home from Port Harcourt and said he was going to shoot the video of our song by tomorrow, being Monday. This afternoon, the Nigerian Army killed my Roco in his home town Orlu. Roco believes in Nigeria so much and today Nigeria has failed my friend. It’s hard to believe this.”
Another musician, Uche Ndum, popularly known as Tooblac, who is a friend of the victim said “The Nigerian Army has just killed my friend, Roco in Orlu. This is so disheartening. I lack words right now.”
The spokesperson for the police in the state, Micheal Abattam, had yet to respond to an inquiry concerning the murder incident.
