By Felix Ogbonna

Aba—Hell was let loose on Friday, May 29, barely two hours after the swearing-in ceremony of the new Abia State governor, Mr. Okezie Ikpeazu, as thugs numbering over 200 stormed the residence of a former governorship aspirant on the platform of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in the state, Friday Nwosu, beat up his kinsmen and destroyed his campaign billboards in the area.

The thugs who came in over seven buses, stormed the Mgboko Umuoria country home of the former governorship aspirant and attempted to force themselves into the expansive compound but were resisted by policemen guarding the premises who fired shots into the air.

A chief in the community who preferred anonymity, told Vanguard: “When the thugs were stopped from gaining access to the residence, they started destroying Nwosu’s campaign billboards along the road and beating up residents of the community they could lay their hands on.

‘’Some of them were shouting: “Where is F.N Nwosu? There cannot be two governors in Abia State. We are going to deal with him.”

The incident attracted the youths of the community who engaged the thugs in a free-for-all, leaving behind over 15 persons injured.

Reacting to the incident, Nwosu told Vanguard that he had been receiving threats from unknown persons to kill him, wipe out his family and burn his house.

“I have been receiving threats from unknown persons and reported the matter to the police, I am leaving them to find out who is behind these threats to kill me and burn my house as well as the action of the thugs who beat up residents of my community and destroyed my billboards.

‘’I’m not a violent man; I have always conducted myself very responsibly. I see no reason why people should seek to kill me, my family and burn down my house. I appeal to the police to provide security for me, my family and property,” Nwosu said.