Gunmen Attack APGA rally, hold Obiano’s convoy hostage for hours  

ONITSHA, Anambra, Nigeria – Gunmen today  attacked the campaign  rally of All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) at Odata Secondary School in Ihiala, Ihiala local government area or Anambra State.

 According to a source , suspected members of Indigenous People Biafra attacked  Odata Secondary School in Ihiala, Ihiala local government area of Anambra State venue of the party  campaign rally. Our reporter   gathered that the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) was preparing to hold a political rally in the area when the gunmen visited the area and attacked  the people .

A source said the governor was in the area with  his convoy when the attackers struck. “The governor’s convoy was held for about one hour, while sporadic gunshots  were heard everywhere in the area,” the source said.

Meanwhile,  DSP Tochukwu Ikenga, the Anambra State Police Command’s Public Relations Officer confirmed that there was attack in Ihiala. He said the Operatives of Anambra State Command at 9:30am on Tuesday successfully repelled an attack at Odata Central School, besides St Martins church Ihiala.

According to him, exhibits recovered from the attackers are One AK 47 rifle, Two Magazine with 30 rounds of ammunition, One Lexus 350 jeep, one Toyota Rave 4 jeep, one Mercedes benze and a Toyota Corolla.

He said the preliminary investigation revealed that the hoodlums started shooting sporadically while arriving Odata central school but they were  successfully repelled by Police operatives and military on ground. No  casualty was recorded, the police said.

Meanwhile, normalcy has been restored in the area and operations is ongoing in the area for possible arrest of the fleeing gang members. Security Forces Repeled Attack by Gunmen and asked people to report persons with gunshots

A combined team of policemen and soldiers this afternoon repelled an attack by unknown gunmen at Odoata Primary School, Ihiala, where the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) was scheduled to organize a campaign rally for the November 6 gubernatorial election in Anambra State.

The gunmen came in various motorcycles and in three vehicles, namely, a Toyota Lexus 350 ES with registration number EKY 765 EX, Toyota RAV4 with number JJJ 434FP and a Ford van whose number could not be ascertained at the time of this report because it caught fire during the exchange of bullets between the gun men and security forces.

The gunmen, unable to withstand the superior fire power of the soldiers and police officers, quickly ran into the large premises of Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital which is directly opposite the campaign ground.

“They suffered serious injuries, even though they managed to shoot a gallant soldier”, according to an eye witness who did not want his name disclosed in the media for fear of his safety. If the gunmen had not run into the hospital which is a very delicate place to shoot any person, the security men would have gunned all of them down them”.

Security forces, who recovered all three vehicles and motorcycles used by the gunmen, were searching the area by the time this report was filed.

The Anambra State Police Command has requested the people in the area to help look out for people with gunshots and report them. It has also asked hospitals and other health facilities in both Ihiala Local Government Area and neighbouring communities in Imo State to report to security agencies patients with gun wounds.

Meanwhile, Governor Willie Obiano has commended police officers and soldiers who repelled the attack for their gallantry.

Speaking to journalists at Atani in Ogbaru LGA where he led a large crowd of APGA faithful to welcome the APGA governorship candidate in the forthcoming election, Professor Chukwuma Charles Soludo, Governor Obiano described the response of the security men as professional and patriotic.

In the same vein, Professor Soludo, who lost three policemen guarding him when he was attacked on March 31 in his hometown of Isuofia, Aguata local Government Area while addressing the youth of the town, lauded the security forces for bravery.

“These security men and women in Anambra State lay down their lives for us and they do their best because of the encouragement they receive from the security-conscious state government, among other factors. We expect more professional exhibition as days go by and the election date approaches”.

The APGA candidate expressed sympathy for innocent victims of the attack, pleading with every aggrieved person “to lay down his or her weapon and opt for dialogue to resolve all differences in the interest of our people”.