Just days before the November 11 governorship elections in Imo State, the Labour Party’s governorship candidate, Senator Athan Achonu, was reportedly attacked in the state.
Achonu’s convoy was targeted while en route to St Peter’s Anglican Church in Obibiezena, Owerri North Local Government Area, where he had been invited to attend the church’s synod.
According to reports, his convoy unexpectedly encountered a group of thugs who had set up a roadblock using an Armored Personnel Carrier (APC), an All Progressive Congress-branded Sienna, and a Hilux truck.
The Director of Media and Publicity for Senator Athan Achonu Campaign Organisation, Chibuikem Diala, released a statement in Owerri. The statement revealed that Senator Athan Achonu, who is running as the Labour Party candidate in the upcoming governorship election in Imo State, narrowly avoided a death.
The release reads, “One Oladimeji, a police officer attached to the Tiger Base Police Squad, Owerri, led the team of rough-looking policemen and gun-wielding Ebubeagu security operatives.
“On approaching the roadblock, police officers in the Armoured Personnel Carrier started shooting at the convoy but missed the Wrangler SUV by the whiskers and hit the driver’s window of one of the bulletproof Lexus SUVs in the convoy. This could have resulted in a casualty if not for the fact that it was bulletproof.
“They were shooting sporadically in full public glare in broad daylight. Even after the Police Commissioner spoke to the police officer Oladimeji over the phone, he refused to listen to him, insisting that because Uzodinma was coming that way, he would not allow Achonu to pass.
“A young man identified as ‘TAKPE,’ backed by the police, was also shouting and threatening that the team must turn back, or else he would “destroy all the cars.” This scenario caused so much panic among the women in the convoy.
“To avoid further confrontation, the DSS and other security officers accompanying Senator Achonu exercised restraint and moved the candidate and his team to safety.
“It is sadder that the state police have sold themselves to Uzodinma to the point that even the state commissioner of police no longer has the power to control security matters in the state.
“We demand an urgent probe into the activities of the involved culprits, including Officer Ola, and the state commissioner of police. We also demand that the chief thug ‘Takpe’ shown in the viral video be arrested and brought to book.
“We also demand the immediate transfer of all compromised officers to avoid crises. We also want to make it abundantly clear that the Labour Party and its candidate, Senator Athan Achonu, alongside all lovers of democracy in Imo State, cannot be intimidated.
“We call on President Bola Tinubu, the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, the Chief of Army Staff, the Head of the Department of State Services, DSS, and relevant security agencies to weigh into the security situation in Imo State to avert bloodshed during and after Saturday’s election.”
