A police officer has been shot dead by gunmen who attacked the convoy of a former Nigerian Governor, Rochas Okorocha, in Imo State, Nigeria’s South-east.
The attack occurred on Friday at the Ihube Community along Okigwe- Enugu Expressway in Okigwe Local Government Area of the state.
Okigwe-Ihube Axis, which shares a boundary with communities in Abia State, has witnessed increased attacks by armed men lately.
Several people have been killed while others were kidnapped for ransom in the area in recent times.
Mr Okorocha, who served as the governor of Imo State between 2011 and 2019, told reporters on Sunday, that he was returning from Enugu State after attending the burial ceremony of the wife of a former Nigeria’s Senate President, Ken Nnamani, when the convoy was attacked.
The former governor spoke at the birthday celebration of the Imo State governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Samuel Anyanwu, in Amaimo, Ikeduru Local Government Area of the state.
“I am very angry. I am angry because I spent two days in Enugu and nothing happened to me but it is in my own state that the convoy released to me by the Governor of Enugu state (Peter Mbah) to attend the burial ceremony of Ihedioha’s mother at Mbaise, was attacked and one policeman killed,” said Mr Okorocha, who represented Imo West District from 2019 and 2023.
The former governor said the slain officer was among police officers deployed from Enugu State Government House to escort him to the burial ceremony of Dorothy Ihedioha, mother of the former governor of Imo State, Emeka Ihedioha.
He expressed displeasure with the security situation in Imo State.
“What is happening in Imo state makes me angry,” he said.
“Many people who are running to govern Imo State are not capable but I have seen one man whose cap fits. When it is time I will speak,” the former governor added.
Mr Okorocha is a member of the All Progressives Congress (APC), the ruling party in the state.
But he had been in a longstanding face-off with the state governor, Hope Uzodinma, who is seeking a reelection in the 11 November governorship election in the state under the APC ticket.
When contacted on Monday morning, the police spokesperson in Imo State, Henry Okoye, confirmed the attack and the killing of the officer to PREMIUM TIMES.
Mr Okoye, an assistant superintendent of police, said the Commissioner of Police in the state, Ahmed Barde, had deployed police officers in Okigwe, where the incident occurred, to track down the attackers.
Source: premiumtimesng.com
