Chairman of Nsukka marketers association shot by gunmen

Felix Ikem, Nsukka

There was confusion at the university town of Nsukka, in Nsukka Local Government Area of Enugu State, yesterday, following the shooting of the immediate past chairman of Ogige Market Traders Association Nsukka, (OMATAN), Mrs. Ngozi Ozioko, by unknown gunmen.

According to our source, the chairman was said to have closed from the Ogige Market after the day’s trading when gunmen trailed her to her residence and shot her at a close range.

Though, she survived the assassination attempt by the whiskers, bullet from the hoodlums caught her on the leg when she hit down the gun which one of the assailants pointed to her chest.

However, another source who spoke to our reporter under anonymity revealed that “the chairman closed from market yesterday and drove to her house. On reaching her house, she packed and opened her car door and two persons on a motorbike stopped close to her and one said ‘Mama Gee’, as she was fondly called, you think it is your birthright to be chairman of Ogige Market? While saying that, he pointed a pistol at her chest. She shouted Jesus and hit down his gun and the bullet went off and got her leg. He picked the gun and immediately jumped on a waiting motorcycle and they fled.”

Our reporter gathered that she is seeking for reelection in the forthcoming OMATAN general election; a situation that made her to step down and hand over to a care taker committee chairman.

Our reporter equally gathered that last week, she received an endorsement for her reelection from the state government in a momentous event.

Confirming the incident, the spokesperson of Enugu State Police Command, Daniel Ndukwe, said the command was alerted on the incident by the Nsukka Urban Police Division.

“This happened on the 26th of this month at about 7:30 pm when three armed hoodlums approached the chairman of OMATAN, Ngozi Ozioko, while she was parking her vehicle in front of her house and shot her on the leg.

“It is basically a case of attempted murder and the Commissioner of Police has directed a full scale investigation to apprehend whoever the assailants are and bring them to book,” he said.

Our reporter gathered that Dr. Ozioko is currently receiving medical attention in an undisclosed hospital.