Sources said Onyelere, who was shot several times by his assailants, was returning from a Church service at about noon when he noticed that some men were trailing him in their car.
It was gathered that the deceased, out of fear, alighted from his car and ran when he suspected danger.
Unfortunately, the gunmen pursued him to a spot near Glass House at Orji and shot him several times.
When contacted, the Imo State Police Command’s Public Relations Officer, Mr. Andrew Enwerem (DSP), who confirmed the story, said the hoodlums attempted to kidnap the late commissioner, but shot him dead when he attempted to escape.
“He alighted from his vehicle, he did not obey the hoodlums and as he attempted to run away they fired at him.
“We are not suspecting politically motivated assassination because in our investigation, we discovered that things in his car were intact.
We will leave no stone unturned to get at those who carried out such a dastardly act,” he said.