There was tension in Owerri, the Imo State capital, and adjoining towns as gunmen late yesterday attacked the convoy of the former governor, Chief Ikedi Ohakim.
Ohakim and two of his sons were said to have escaped in his bulletproof SUV Jeep.
Four policemen attached to his convoy were killed during the attack.
Ohakim’s convoy was attacked at Oriagu in the Ehime Mbano Local Government Area of the state yesterday evening.
The former governor escaped by the whiskers and had his backup vehicle bombed, leading to the death of the four policemen in his convoy.
It was gathered that Ohakim was with two of his children and was returning from a visit when the gunmen struck.
A source close to the ex-governor disclosed that it took the brevity of the driver of the ex-governor for him to escape.
“His Excellency was the main target but his driver was smart enough to beat them because they were driving to block him.”
According to the source, “Disappointed that their main target had escaped, they (gunmen) blocked his backup vehicle and burnt it. The four policemen with him burnt.”
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A statement by the State Director/Fire Chief, Anambra Fire Service, Mr Martin Agbili, and made available to newsmen yesterday in Onitsha said the incident occurred at Atani Road, by Uga Junction, Onitsha, at about 6 p. m.
He said the attackers shattered the fire fighters’ vehicle windshield and side mirrors of the fire truck and injured some of the operatives.
The fire chief described the incident as barbaric and a bad way to start the new year.
According to him, on Sunday January 1, 2023, at about 1800hours, Anambra State Fire Service, received a distress call of a fire incident at Uga junction by Atani road.
His words: “Immediately, our fire truck and fire fighters were deployed in the scene. On arrival at the fire scene, the mob attacked us.
They threw stones, sticks, and irons at us. Unfortunately, they shattered the windscreen of our fire trucks, the side glasses and wounded some firefighters.
“As they started throwing stones on the fire truck while the fire was still on, what we could hear was, ‘is it now that you people are coming to fight the fire? We managed to escape the mob attack with our shattered windscreen and some injured firefighters.”
“This gift of the new year is really unfortunate, that our hardworking firefighters of Anambra State will be welcomed to the new year with this barbaric act.
Perpetrators of this ugly act will surely be brought to book,” Agbali said.
