From Geoffrey Anyanwu, Abasianam Philip (Enugu), George Onyejiuwa and Stanley Uzoaru (Owerri)
It was a day of horror in Imo State yesterday as unknown gunmen returned, bombing the home of the President General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Prof George Obiozor, in Oru East Local Government Area of the state and the Umuguma Police Division in Owerri-west council, killing two policemen.
The gunmen, it was gathered, threw explosives at Prof Obiozor’s home to set his house ablaze.
A source from the community told Sunday Sun that although the Igbo leader was not at home when the intruders came, but the CCTV cameras in his home captured the attack.
“Thank God our leader was not at home when they came, they were many, they were shooting when they came and threw something like a bomb inside the compound,” the source said.
Also, in the early hours of Saturday, unknown gunmen attacked the Police Divisional headquarters at Umuguma, Owerri-west Local Government Area of Imo State, killing two police officers.
The gunmen also razed the roof of the station and seven vehicles, including police operational vehicles parked in the station.
When our reporter visited the Umuguma police division about 9:00a.m yesterday, some women were seen wailing over the death of the two slain policemen whose dead bodies were placed in a waiting ambulance.
One of the officers on night duty who craved anonymity told our reporter that he escaped death by the whiskers as his two other colleagues also on duty with him were killed.
According to him, “it was around 2:00a.m because I was on night duty at the state together with Ifeanyi and Iyke who were unfortunately killed by the gunmen.
“It was a surprise attack because the gunmen opened a barrage of gunfire from outside the station followed by the throwing of explosives into the premises.
“I immediately knew that these people were professionals before they started jumping into the station and throwing explosives into the vehicles parked at the station. I crawled on my stomach to avoid being hit by the barrage of gunfire before scaling the fence at the back of the station and escaped.
“But Ifeanyi who is also an indigene of Umuguma like me was not that lucky because he was macheted to death by the gunmen. Iyke who is from Avu community and one of the constabularies working at the station was shot while trying to escape from the gunmen and his body was found later this morning.”
Another officer, who does not want to be mentioned, lamented that while the attack was going on that there was not reinforcement from the police headquarters in Owerri.
He disclosed that during the attack that the division had sent distress call to the headquarters for reinforcement, but that none came till the attackers left in their Hilux vehicles.
Meanwhile, the Imo State government has condemned the razing of the home of the Ohanaeze President General, calling the perpetrators of the evil act political bandits.
In a statement he personally signed, Governor Hope Uzodimma regretted that desperate politicians who believe in violence were yet to sheathe their swords in spite of repeated appeal to them.
Uzodimma described the attack on the country home of Obiozor as cowardly and height of desperation.
He vowed that the government was already working in concert with security agencies to identify and punish the perpetrators.
He bemoaned the incessant resort to violence in settling political differences by some politicians in the state, and warned that the government would no longer condone such banditry.
The time of those who unleash this kind of mayhem in the state is over, he vowed, adding that “we shall hunt them down to face the full weight of the law”.
Also, former Governor of Abia State and Chief Whip of the Senate, Dr Orji Kalu, condemned the attack on Prof Obiozor’s home.
Describing the act as evil, cruel and wicked, Kalu called on appropriate authorities to investigate the ugly incident in a bid to bringing the perpetrators to book.
The former governor stressed that the statesman is a peace-loving Nigerian, who has consistently sustained his good character in view of his personal attributes and commitment to nation building.
Kalu faulted the attackers for what he described as uncivilized, adding that violence and social vices are detrimental to the growth and progress of the society.
The Senate Chief Whip in statement called on Ndigbo and Nigerians in general to embrace peace and unity for the sake of nation building.
Kalu, while urging the Ohanaeze President General to be calm, admonished security agencies to live up to expectations by exposing the perpetrators of the incident.
Also, elder statesman and legal luminary, Chief Mike Ahamba (SAN) condemned the burning down of the country home of Obiozor.
He said that the incident portends a very bad omen for Igbo land.
Chief Ahamba who spoke to our reporter yesterday condemned in its entirety the ugly incident, saying that Ndigbo should not allow their disagreement to be turned into unbridled hatred and quarrel.
Similarly, the Movement for the Actualization of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB) has condemned the burning of the house of Ohanaeze Ndigbo President General by gunmen, describing it as an act of criminality against Ndigbo.
MASSOB also described the action as primitive and barbaric act of criminality, adding that “it is an act of sabotage and politically motivated in destruction of our own.”
Leader of MASSOB, Uchnna Madu while reacting to the incident expressed shock at what he called political sponsorship of the arson.
He, however, urged governors of the Southeast to take bold steps to interface and tackle the issue of insecurity.