The convoy of former Imo State Governor, Rochas Okorocha was attacked on Friday by gunmen leaving a police officer dead.
The convoy of the former governor was attacked at the Ihube community on the Okigwe- Enugu expressway.
The Ihube axis of the expressway had been under siege by terrorists who had been killing and kidnapping people and travelers for ransom.
The houses of several politicians in the community had been raided in the past. These had made many locals abandon their homes and run to the state capital, Owerri, and other places for safety.
Confirming the killing of the police officer and the assassination attempt on him, Okorocha said that he was sad that his convoy could be attacked.
Okorocha who ruled the state between 2011 and 2019 said that the cop killed was one of the policemen deployed from the state Government House to take him to the burial ceremony of the mother of the immediate past governor of Imo state Emeka Ihedioha.
Okorocha who spoke on Sunday at Amaimo in the Ikeduru Local Government Area of the state, at the birthday anniversary celebration of the Peoples Democratic Party candidate for the November 11 governorship election in Imo state, Samuel Anyanwu, said that the killing of the cop was on “unfortunate.”
The former governor said that he was returning from Enugu after attending the burial ceremony of the wife of a former senate president, Ken Nnamani when his convoy was attacked.
Okorocha said that the governor of Enugu state, Peter Mbah had released vehicles and security men to take him and his team to Imo state for the burial ceremony of Ihedioha’s mother.
He disclosed that it was after he had finished attending the funeral ceremony at Mbaise and the convey had dropped him at his Spilbat mansion in Owerri and was heading back to Enugu that they were attacked.
He also said that he was embittered because he was safe in Enugu only to be attacked and a security agent killed in his own state.
He said, “I am angry. 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 (a very good man) to attend the burial ceremony of Ihedioha’s mother at Mbaise that was attacked and one policeman killed.
“What is happening in Imo state makes me angry. Many people who are running to govern Imo state are not capable but I have seen one man who the cap fits. When it is time I will speak.”
One of the aides of the former governor who spoke to our correspondent in confidence said that the vehicles in the convoy, which comprised a Sports Utility Vehicle, a bus, and Hilux were shattered by bullets.
He said two other security agents we kidnapped by the attackers and were released the same day.
*(Courtesy, excluding headline, The PUNCH)
