One police officer has been confirmed dead following an attack on the convoy of the former governor of Imo State, Senator Rochas Okorocha.
The senator’s convoy was attacked at the Ihube community on the Okigwe-Enugu expressway.
In recent times, the Ihube axis of the expressway has been a stronghold of terrorists who have been killing and kidnapping people and travelers for ransom.
Also, several politicians in the community have had their houses raided in the past. These had made many locals flee their homes and run to the state capital, Owerri, and other havens for safety.
Confirming the assassination attempt on him and the killing of the police officer, Okorocha said that he was pained that his convoy could be attacked.
Okorocha, who governed the state between 2011 and 2019, stated that the cop killed was one of the policemen assigned to him 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.
Speaking on Sunday at Amaimo in the Ikeduru Local Government Area of the state, at the birthday anniversary celebration of Samuel Anyanwu, the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party for the November 11 governorship election in Imo State, Okorocha said that the killing of the cop was “unfortunate.”
Okorocha 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 stated 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 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”.
Commenting on the attack, an aid to the former governor stated that the vehicles in the convoy, which comprised a sports utility vehicle, a bus, and a Hilux, were shattered by bullets.
He also stated that two other security agents were kidnapped by the attackers and were released the same day.
