By PETER OKUTU
Despite the security challenges confronting political office holders in the country, most active or potential politicians are still willing to grapple with the risk, for as much as it is certain that they will enjoy all the necessary glamour and wealth associated with their offices or elective positions.

In Ebonyi State, it is far becoming a trend that once some stakeholders at the corridors of power become displeased with a political officer holder’s modus-operandi as it regards governance, the people of the state will begin to hear about stage- managed plot to remove the executive from office followed by incidences of attack and possible deaths.

*Omebe, the wounded Chairman and another victim

This has apparently become the case with the embattled Chairman, Ezza North local government area of Ebonyi state, Chief Ikeuwa Omebe and the leader of the legislative council, Mr. Daniel Nweke who were attacked and shot at several parts of their bodies by five suspected gunmen allegedly sent to end their lives and political career.

Crime Alert learnt that the victims were attacked on 26 May, 2012 while returning from a traditional wedding ceremony held in the state. Chief Omebe who was returning from a wedding ceremony of his driver (name withheld) in his Toyota Avensis official car was attacked by gunmen along Ukwuachi axis of Enugu-Abakaliki expressway around 9: pm. A reliable source said the gunmen numbering five operated with motorbikes with which they waylaid their victims and shot them at different parts of their bodies.

The source who pleaded anonymity explained that the incident which occurred in less than 10 minutes left the council boss terribly wounded on his back and the leader of the legislative council sustained injuries on both his back and buttocks while the last victim, a publisher of a local tabloid in the state, National Issue Newspaper, Mr. Emmanuel Igwe escaped being hurt by the assailants.

According to the source, “last weekend at about 9.30 pm, I got a distress call that the Chairman of Ezza North Local Government Area of Ebonyi State was attacked by unknown gunmen along the Ukwuachi axis of Enugu-Abakaliki Express road.

I immediately put a call across to the Council and one of the victims confirmed the incident.  The gunmen laid ambush for them along the Enugu Abakaliki Express road while they were returning from a traditional marriage in Ohaukwu local government area of the state.

“When they got to Ukwuachi, the gunmen blocked their car and demanded for some money.  Before they could realize what was happening, the gunmen immediately opened fire on them and shot him on the hand while the leader of the legislative Council was also shot. What baffled them was the way the gunmen operated. It is difficult to say whether the gunmen came for money but it is suspected that they were after their lives,” the source added.

Crime Alert investigation revealed that Chief Omebe was transferred from the Federal Teaching Hospital Abakaliki, FETHA, to an undisclosed hospital in Enugu for security reasons and that the council boss, the leader of the legislative House and the third occupant of the vehicle were in  stable condition at the time of this report.

It should be recalled that the Ezza North council area had been riddled with unresolved crisis which had led to the kangaroo impeachment of the Council boss recently. The impeachment which was staged- managed at Salt lake hotel in Abakaliki failed woefully not only because it was held outside the legislative Council of the local government area but also, because if allowed by the state government to prevail, it could lead to further crises within the political arena of the state, especially in Ezza North LGA.

Also, during the last April general election, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, lost the two state House of Assembly seats: Ezza North West and Ezza North East constituencies to the opposition political party, All Nigeria Peoples Party, ANPP, and since the failure of PDP in Ezza North local government area, crisis seemed to be brewing in the area and consequently, affected the administration of the PDP council boss, Chief Ikeuwa Omebe.

Recent reports emanating from the community where the council boss was attacked also revealed that soldiers from the Abakaliki Military Cantonment, Nkwegu, have killed an armed gunman suspected to be a member of the 5-man gang that attacked the chairman of Ezza North local government area of Ebonyi state, Hon Ikeuwa Omebe last weekend. The suspect, according to reports, was shot dead during a shootout with the soldiers.

The State Police Commissioner, Adeola Adeniji who confirmed the incident said the gunmen opened fire on sighting the soldiers who were on their routine patrol along the Enugu-Abakaliki expressway, leading to the death of one of the gang members.

He said an AK-47 assault rifle was recovered from the dead robber while his gang members escaped into a nearby forest. CP Adeniji therefore appealed to members of the public to give the police useful information that could lead to the capture of the rest of the gang members that have been terrorizing the area for some time now.

The killing of the gang member by the soldiers, according to report, occurred within Ukwuachi axis of the Enugu-Abakaliki expressway close to the area where the robbers staged their attack on the chairman while he was returning from his driver’s traditional wedding in Ohaukwu local government area of the state.

Speaking with Crime Alert, one of the victims of the attack and the publisher of a local tabloid, National Issue, Mr. Emmaunel Igwe raised alarm over the recent threat to his life by some suspected hoodlums parading themselves as security personnel in the state.

The Journalist who explained how he recently sustained injuries as a result of the brutal treatment he received in the hands of these hoodlums, called on security personnel to ensure that lives and properties were adequately protected in the state.

Reacting to the attack, Special Assistant to the Chairman Mr. Sunday stated that the attack was connected with the failed plot by some desperate politicians to remove him (Omebe) from office. He called on security agents to be proactive in the fight against crime even as he alleged that those behind the assassination plot were not outside the State capital.