From George Onyejiuwa, Owerri
Gunmen yesterday attacked and set ablaze the country home and cars of the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the Okigwe state constituency, Ifeanyi Ozoemena, barely 72 hours to the state assembly elections in Imo State.
The Daily Sun reliably gathered from a community source, who pleaded anonymity, that the gunmen numbering over seven, had stormed the PDP candidate’s compound in a Sienna Toyota car, at about 2pm, yesterday.
The source further revealed that having missed their target, that the gunmen threw improvised explosive devices into the houses and on the cars parked within the compound and zoomed off, while shooting sporadically into the air to scare the people.
Reacting, Ozoemena, who expressed shock over the ugly development, said it was through the grace of God that his household, including his aged parents, were able to escape the unprovoked attack alive.
Describing the incident as most vicious, barbaric and inhumane, he called on the security agencies for adequate security, and to ensure that the perpetrators were apprehended.
(Continued on www.sunnewsonline.com)
He said: “I just thanked God for sparing the lives of my family members, including that of my aged parents. If not for His grace, we would have been killed. I don’t know why some people will think of such evil against me. As I speak to you now, both my house and my father’s own were all burnt by the attackers. Also, all the vehicles parked in the compound were set ablaze.
“I have reported it to the police and I expect them to come to my aid as well as ensure that those behind this unfortunate, barbaric and inhumane act are arrested to face the consequence of their actions.”
However, when contacted, the spokesperson of the state police command, Henry Okoye, said he was yet to be briefed about the incident and promised to respond as soon as possible.