Hoodlums attack APC campaign venue in Ebonyi, kill one

Forum 1 year ago

Hoodlums attack APC campaign venue in Ebonyi, kill one

Hoodlums on Saturday evening attacked the campaign venue that hosted the Ebonyi Central senatorial candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Engr Ken Eze, who visited Ezzagu Ward 1 in Ishielu Local Government Area of the State.

The Campaign had already recorded success, when the ugly incident occurred.

While the supporters were waiting to depart to their various destinations, the assailants invaded the venue and started shooting sporadically.

Vanguard gathered that the hoodlums also burnt a Toyota Hiace Bus and one ash-coloured Vehicle before leaving the venue in the vehicle.

A stakeholder of Ezzagu community who did not want his name in print said: “It was around 5:30pm on Saturday, February, that I received a distressed from my wife, Eunice, that she was in trouble. Her emotions were high, and palpitating profusely.

She narrated to me that she was calling me from a bush where she scampered for safety, which I sent a rescue team from my nearby village. She was unhurt.

“She was conveyed to the venue by the National president of Ogboji General Assembly, John Anyalagu; his wife and younger brother, Emeka Nwusulor.

“Unfortunately, while they were standing by the roadside for John to drive out his car for them to race back to Abakaliki, the hoodlums invaded and killed Emeka who was standing-by.

“The security agents should up their games and duties. The proliferation of firearms is rampant in Ebonyi State.

“I therefore commiserate with the family of the deceased for paying a supreme sacrifice for the All Progressives Congress.”

Reacting to the ugly incident, Ogbuatu Chidi Simbad, APC Publicity Secretary, Ebonyi State, alleged that the attack on the APC supporters in Amagu community was masterminded by the All Progressive Grand Alliance, APGA and its gubernatorial candidate, Prof Benard Odoh.

According to him “At about 4:30pm, Saturday; Nigerian time, Odoh, the desperate and desperado gubernatorial candidate of APGA in Ebonyi State unleashed his rabid attack dogs who wielded AK-47 rifles and other war arms and ammunition on innocent armless APC members holding their political meetings in Ezzagu Ward of Ishielu Local Government Area of Ebonyi State.

“They killed, critically injured others and set vehicles ablaze in a blatant perpetration of arson which is a heinous crime in the Nigerian legal system.

“Odoh and his rag-tag Ebonyi APGA with their terrorist gang have vindicated the Ebonyi APC that they are masterminds of all the attacks and killings in Ebonyi State, including the ones on themselves which they arrange just to discredit the Ebonyi State Government, sacrificing innocent lives in the process.

“The question bugging the minds of every Ebonyian and indeed Nigerians is; why is Odoh so desperate to become what he knows he will never become to the point that he and his Ebonyi APGA have no regards for human lives anymore? His nemesis has come.

“Odoh knows he is a loser; a serial failure. Hence, he resorts to violence to create a scenario of insecurity in Ebonyi State and blame it on Ebonyi State Government as usual. His game plan is to drag Ebonyi APC into a battle of guns and capitalize on it to call for a state of emergency in Ebonyi State. We know him and his political shenanigans; and we know the best way to ensure he failed as he had always failed and fallen like a pack of cards.

“Ebonyi APC is a composition of civilized people. It is for this reason that we won’t be dragged into war with Odoh, APGA and their misguided mkpurumiri gangsters. Hence, we toe as always; the legitimate path.

“On the strength of our resolve, we the State Working Committee of the APC, Ebonyi State, call on the new commissioner of police to see this attack under his watch as an acid test of the stuff he is made of. The new CP had on his assumption of duty assured Ebonyians that he will carry out his duties devoid of fear or favour. The time has come for him to do it. We also call on the DSS to get to the roots and lift the veil of a masquerading Odoh and that of his trigger happy boys and bring them to justice.

“The Governor of Ebonyi State, His Excellency, Engr. Dr. David Nweze Umahi as Chief Security Officer of the State cannot be tirelessly doing everything humanly possible to ensure that Ebonyi State remained peaceful, particularly this election period, whilst Odoh and his gang of desperados keep subverting his efforts. We won’t tolerate that. We condemn this attack in its entirety and we call on the police, the DSS and other security agencies to swing into action.

“How the new CP handles this matter will either reinforce or rubbish his mission statement. We are watching! While our hearts go out in condolences to the families of the dead, we wish the critically injured who are presently hospitalized; quick recovery. Odoh and his Ebonyi APGA should know that power comes from God and not from betrayals, gossips and violence.

“He should also know that Ebonyi State is not Anambra State where APGA is rooted. Therefore, his party cannot win any election in Ebonyi State. All these things he is doing won’t take him anywhere. He lacks the integrity to be trusted by anybody, including those who claim to be following him. Imagine a guber candidate who has a presidential candidate on the platform of his party, but he is working for the presidential candidate of another political party.

“Yes; Odoh is working for Peter Obi of Labour Party against Prof. Peter Umeadi, the presidential candidate of APGA. How can anybody trust such a crook. If APGA had no presidential candidate it would had been understandable, but this is a political party that has a presidential flag bearer. Instead of campaigning for him in Ebonyi State, treacherous Odoh campaigns for Obi of LP. How can such a character be trusted. He is perfidy personified.

“While we wait for security agencies to do their job, it is imperative that we warn Odoh and his gang that should there be a repeat of this type of attack on our members, we shall not fold our arms. We shall defend our members.

“No one has a monopoly of violence. He should heed this warning or regret his bravado. He should ignore this warning at his own peril. Governor Umahi won’t be deterred in his avowed determination to fight insecurity in Ebonyi State and ensure peaceful co-existence of all Ebonyians regardless of party and political affiliations. We shall continue to support him for the betterment of our dear State.”

Responding on behalf of APGA, Charles Otu,Director, Media and Publicity,Odohzhia Ebonyi Campaign council

“We at the Odohzia Ebonyi Campaign council of the All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA for the March 11, 2023 Governorship election in Ebonyi State, Professor Benard Ifeanyi Odoh read with profound consternation the allegations leveled against our principal who has generally been described as the most peaceful, peaceable and widely-accepted choice of majority of Ebonyians for the position of the Governor of Ebonyi State.

“Even though the allegations by the drowning Ebonyi APC are very factitious, made rather out of the panic bags of the ruling Party and lacking in every material fact as the Spokesperson woefully failed to even mention the name of the alleged deceased and injured cum hospitalized victims, we wish to react as follows:

“That while our peaceful and peace-loving Party, APGA and Odohzia Campaign council, all reasonable Ebonyians, Nigerians and indeed, the whole world await from the APC Spokesperson, Simbad Ogbuatu and his descending ship of Ebonyi APC Excos the accurate details of the alleged incident, it is only wisdom to completely distance our principal, Professor Benard Odoh from the unfounded and rather strange allegations.

“For us in APGA, the name-callings on Professor Odoh and APGA Ebonyi State Chapter justifies the intelligence we had gathered that the APC has indeed lost grip of the Ebonyi electorates despite it’s long resort to acts of intimidations, harassments and several acts of terror against opposition elements in the State, particularly members, supporters and leaders of our great Party, APGA.

“That since July last year when APGA billboards surfaced in Ebonyi, the restless and fear-filled APC goons immediately went to work ostensibly on the instructions of the Umahi-led government and pulled them down. It’s all over the media that even when the billboards were replaced thrice, the APC thugs still pulled them down. Today, we are glad that we have since August last year solidly taken out campaigns directly to the electorates even though the attacks and ambushes on our campaign trains and supporters have yet persisted.

“The media, Nigerians and the rest of the world would recall the countless number of times that the Odoh/Nkata campaign train and their supporters have faced heavy gunshot attacks with the apex being the February 2nd assassination attempt on his convoy at Okpoto by suspected Ebubeagu militia, Ishielu Local Government Area of the State which even the State government was forced to confirm.

“Just yesterday, February 18th at about 4:00p.m (about the same time we guess the APC claims the alleged attack on their supporters occured), Professor Odoh, his Deputy Governorship candidate, Dr. Nkata and his entire team were facing heavy gun battles at Okposi Okwu- venue of it’s rally by gun- wielding thugs of the APC who came on two branded APC Sienna vehicles with the insignia: “David Umahi for Senate 2023”. They had shot sporadically and dispersed the our members who were on procession with the team to the venue.

“Finally, we urge Ebonyians and Nigerians of good conscience to ignore and disbelief the spurious lies and allegations of the APC as the world is aware that our principal and his Deputy are the cleanest pair for Ebonyi going into the March 11, 2023 polls. Odoh had since submitted himself before the EFCC and challenged the Umahi government he dutifully and diligently served as SSG before resigning on grounds of personal principles and integrity and till date, no panel, including those set by Umahi and his bootlickers in the Ebonyi State House of Assembly has been able to indict or even invite him.

“The end of the APC in Ebonyi is here and we assure Ebonyians that the Party shall surely face their fear of defeat at the polls and it shall become history!”

Contacted, the State Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, SP Chris Anyanwu said his office was yet to be updated on the incident that occurred in Ezzagu community of Ishielu LGA of the State.