Udora Orizu in Abuja
Gunmen reportedly launched a deadly attack on the home of National Spokesman of the Coalition of United Political Parties, Ikenga Imo Ugochinyere, leading to loss of lives and destruction of properties.
Ugochinyere is also the Peoples Democratic Party candidate for Ideato North and South Federal Constituency of Imo State in the 2023 election.
In an SOS message on WhatsApp, the CUPP spokesman raised the alarm about an ongoing attack by gunmen at his residence, calling for help.
In the message he posted around 3:15pm, he wrote, “We need help to Akokwa. We are under attack.. My house in akokwa.. They have surrounded it and opened fire. We are under attack. Help help.”
In another message, he called for help once again, notifying the public that his uncle has been killed.
His words, “We néed help… My uncle has been killed now..They are setting everything on fire. Plz helpppppp.”
Speaking to THISDAY, his media team confirmed the attack, narrating that lives were lost and vehicles burnt. They added that efforts were being made to get Ugochinyere to safety.
In a statement later, the Publicity Secretary of PDP in Imo State, Collins Opurozor, claimed that unknown number of civilians had been killed at the Akokwa residence of Ugochinyere.
While calling on the security agencies to take immediate action, he said that efforts to get back to Ikenga Ugochinyere who was present at the time of the attack had proven abortive.
The statement titled, ‘Imo PDP Alerts Security Agencies, Nigerians, International Community To Sponsored Killings, Arson Going On At the Akokwa Residence of Ikenga Imo Ugochinyere, PDP Candidate For Ideato Federal Constituency,’ reads, “The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Imo State alerts that, at the moment, there is a well-coordinated armed attack going on at the Akokwa residence of Ikenga Imo Ugochinyere, the candidate of our Party for Ideato North/South Federal Constituency. This has resulted in the killing of undisclosed number of persons. Also, buildings are reported to have been set ablaze.
“Our efforts to get back to our candidate, Ikenga Ugochinyere, who was present at his residence when this attack began and who had personally alerted us to the attack, has proven abortive. However, a torrent of messages, a while ago, from Ikenga’s close aides bore some deeply pathetic lines like: “Everywhere is on fire! They are killing us! We are going, going!”
Imo PDP calls on security agencies to immediately intervene and quell the attack on our candidate and our Party members at his residence in Akokwa.
“Nigerians and international community are to recall that on December 23, 2022, there was an attack on the convoy of our candidate by clearly-identified agents of the Imo State Government. It is shocking that despite our demand for the arrest and prosecution of those involved in that onslaught, nothing has been done by the security till this moment. Today represents a dark day for us in Imo PDP and Imo State at large.”
