Hoodlums invade APC rally, kill one; attack Soludo’s supporters, kill three

GUNMEN on Sunday evening invaded a rally of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Uruagu, Nnewi, Anambra State, killing one person and injuring many others. 

The APC Anambra State chapter confirmed the incident in a statement signed and issued by its chairman, Basil Ejidike; secretary, Chukwuma Agufugo and assistant state publicity secretary, Barrister Chukwunoso Chinwuba in Awka, on Monday. 

According to the statement, the evening attack led to the death of a Mr Somadina Oforma and the hospitalisation of many others. 

“Our great party regrets the invasion of our party office and attack of members who were gathered for a meeting in Uruagu Ward 3, Nnewi by persons yet unidentified. 

“We regret the loss and regard it as one violence too many in an Anambra State that ought to be the safest state in Nigeria, if official claims were anything to go by. 

“In the attack, one Somadina Oforma, a vibrant member of our party was shot dead while another member, a female sustained a serious gunshot on her leg. She is presently receiving treatment while the deceased has been deposited in the mortuary. 

“This ugly event is coming barely two weeks after the murder of former traditional ruler of Mkpu Nando, Igwe Alex Edoziuno. This killing is one too many! 

“APC, Anambra State chapter strongly condemns these attacks and views any such attack on citizens, who go about their legitimate businesses as senseless and retrogressive. 

“APC is worried and concerned about the safety of its members and indeed, citizens of Anambra and urges Obiano as the chief security officer of the state to do the needful to safeguard the lives and well-being of Anambra people. 

“The party also calls on the police and other security agencies to be proactive about security matters in the state,” it said. 

Confirming the attack in a statement, the state Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Ikenga Tochukwu, said the state Commissioner of Police, Tony Olofu has ordered investigation into a shooting incident. 

Similarly, the national convener of Youth Earnestly Seek Soludo (YESS), Dr Nelson Obinna Omenugha was on Sunday evening also attacked at Afor-Nobi market, in the Idemili Local Government Area of Anambra State by gunmen. 

An eyewitness disclosed that three persons lost their lives in the attack, while a Toyota Hilux owned by Dr Omenugha and two others were set ablaze. 

Confirming the incident, Tochukwu noted that the state Commissioner of Police, “has detailed police crack team led by an Assistant Commissioner of Police on-the-spot assessment to the scene.” He said the team “is working earnestly to identify and apprehend the hoodlums and bring them to book.” 

Meanwhile, the governorship candidate of the All Progressive Congress (APC) in the forthcoming gubernatorial election in the state, Senator Andy Uba, has decried spate of attacks on the APC members in the state. 

Uba who was reacting on the death of his member, Oforma, said the politically motivated murder was one too many. His reaction was contained in a statement signed and made available to Nigerian Tribune in Awka, on Monday, by Honourable Victor Afam Ogene, on behalf of the Senator Andy Uba Governorship Campaign Organisation. 

Uba called on the Anambra State governor, Chief Willie Obiano and security agencies working in the state, to urgently take steps to arrest the worsening insecurity in the state. 

He said, “The late Oforma was, without any provocation, shot dead inside the APC office at Uruagu Ward 3, Nnewi North Local Government Area of the state, while holding a meeting with other party faithful, many others sustained varying degrees of injury. 

“Uba has however promised to immortalise the deceased, and also reach out to the injured. 

“Whilst not imputing any direct motive to these attacks, we are however constrained to observe that our party, the APC, has borne the brunt of majority of them, leaving us to wonder when political contest in Anambra State degenerated to the point of opposition party members living in fear. 

“We, therefore, call on Governor Obiano, as the Chief Security Officer of the state, and other law enforcement agencies, including the police, the Department of State Security, DSS and the civil defence corps, to urgently take steps to halt the growing reign of terror in our state,” he added.

 

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