Gunmen attack APGA governorship candidate, kill driver

Gunmen have attacked the gubernatorial candidate’s convoy All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) in Ebonyi State, Benard Odoh.

The incident happened on Thursday evening in Okpoto, a community in Ishielu Local Government Area of ​​the state.

The spokesperson of the Odohzia Ebonyi Campaign Council, Charles Otu, who disclosed this in a statement on Thursday, said at least five people who joined the convoy of APGA candidates are still missing while two others sustained injuries.

Odohzia is the campaign organization of the APGA candidate, Mr. Odoh, a professor.

A campaign spokesperson said the assailants attacked and opened fire on the APGA candidate as soon as they saw the lead pilot’s vehicle.

The gunmen were traveling in a silver Sienna vehicle and armed with AK-47 rifles, he said.

“The pilot’s vehicle was shot at no less than eight times before he covered the gubernatorial candidate’s vehicle and stole the Prado jeep with bullets,” Mr Otu said.

“In the process, his driver was shot and, as he was bleeding profusely, the ADC quickly maneuvered and drove the vehicle with all the tires flat and down until he was able to reach the Pele Filling Station,” he said.

Mr. Otu confirmed to PREMIUM TIMES that the driver, who was shot by the gunmen, later died of profuse bleeding caused by the gunshot.

A campaign spokesperson identified the victim only as Ogbonna.

He said efforts were being made by “security teams” to rescue the missing people and those who had been rescued had been taken to hospital for treatment.

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He accused members of the Ebubeagu Security Network of carrying out the attack. But PREMIUM TIMES could not independently verify these claims.

Stanley Okoro-Emegha, a security consultant to the Ebonyi State Government, however denied the allegations.

Mr. Okoro-Emegha, who oversees all state security operations including Ebubeagu, told PREMIUM TIMES that Ebubegu operatives had no hand in the attack.

“This is a laughable allegation,” he said, adding that the insecurity is not peculiar to Ebonyi State.

Mr. Okoro-Emegha, who is also the chairman of the All Progressives Congress in the state, said the insecurity in the South-east needed the collective engagement of all people, irrespective of political party affiliation, to tackle it.

“Odoh is an indigene of Ebonyi State and has the right to contest for any position he wants. It is left to the people to choose him or reject him,” he said.

When contacted on Friday morning, the police spokesman in Ebonyi State, Chris Anyawu, said while he heard about the attack, he had not received an official report on it.

“So, until I do, I cannot confirm,” said Mr. Anyanwu, the police superintendent.

Ebubeagu was established in 2021 by the governors of five states in the southeast to help combat insecurity in the region, which has witnessed deadly attacks linked to the Biafra agitation by the outlawed Indigenous People of Biafra.

However, many people accused the security forces of illegal detentions, kidnappings, torture and extra-judicial killings.

The security outfit is supported by the Ebonyi State Government.