Tobias Sylvester
Anambra State Police Command has confirmed that five persons were killed during an attack on the convoy of the lawmaker representing Anambra South Senatorial zone at the National Assembly, Senator Ifeanyi Ubah.
Senator Ifeanyi Ubah Assassination Attempt
KanyiDaily had reported how Senator Ubah narrowly escaped death after some gunmen attacked his convoy at Enugwu-Ukwu road in Njikoka Local Government Area of Anambra.
Senator Ubah survived after his bulletproof car was riddled with bullets, but he lost his police escorts and aides during the ambush on Sunday evening.
During an interview with Punch, Anambra police spokesman, Tochukwu Ikenga confirmed that two policemen and three civilians were killed when gunmen attacked Ubah’s convoy while returning to his hometown, Nnewi.
Ikenga further disclosed that two policemen, who were injured, are currently receiving treatment, adding that no arrest had been made.
He said, “Two policemen and three civilians were killed in the attack while the two injured police officers are currently receiving treatment.
“No arrest has been made yet as we are still exploring every avenue to unravel the perpetrators of the attack. Further details will be communicated as development unfolds.”
Meanwhile, a source identified some of the victims of the attack, saying, “Senator Ifeanyi Ubah lost his treasurer, Mr Ikechukwu Odum, who is his most trusted aide. He also lost his personal assistant, Mr Goodness Mathias.
“Another man killed, who was not in the convoy of the Senator, was identified as Onowu Agu-Ukwu Nri. He is said to be a titled chief in the neighbouring Nri community and had just driven to Enugwu-Ukwu to drop someone who visited him, who would be travelling to Lagos this morning, and he was unlucky to be at that point at the time when Senator Ubah was attacked.
“He was driving an SUV, so the assassins may have thought he was in the senator’s convoy, and he was gunned down.
“During the confusion on Sunday, all the cars were just hitting one another. Since the vehicle the senator was driving in was bulletproof, his driver managed to manoeuvre out of the damaged cars and drive away, even as it was being shot at.”
Efforts made to speak to Ubah proved abortive, but his Media Assistant, Mr Kameh Ogbonna, said if not for the bulletproof SUV, the senator would have been killed by the assailants’ bullets.
“If not for the bulletproof SUV the senator was riding in, he would have been dead by now. We were passing Enugwu Ukwu junction when they hit us from all sides,” he said.
Meanwhile, Anambra State Governor, Charles Soludo had condemned the attack, vowing to fish out the perpetrators to face the full wrath of the law.
