By Izunna Okafor, Awka
Former Governor of Anambra State and ex-Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Dr. Chris Ngige, has given a detailed account of the recent attack on his convoy by unidentified gunmen, further disclosing the response Governor Governor Chukwuma Soludo gave to him when he contacted him over the incident.
Ngige made the disclosure over the weekend at his country home in Alor, Idemili South Local Government Area, when the 2023 presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Mr. Peter Obi, paid him a condolence visit following the deadly attack.
The former governor explained that he had been in Anambra State since the previous Saturday and had dispatched his personal aides on routine errands, including taking one of his vehicles for maintenance. According to him, it was during their return journey that they were ambushed by the armed men around the Umuoji axis.
He clarified that he was not physically present in the convoy at the time of the attack, but confirmed that the assailants opened fire on the vehicles, leading to the death of a woman who was unfortunately caught in the chaos while attempting to record the incident. He confirmed that a police orderly attached to the convoy was also shot in the leg by the gunmen when he ran out of bullet after which they dispossessed him of his rifle and uniform.
Senator Ngige used the opportunity to debunk the rumours suggesting that he was killed during the attack, stressing that he remained alive and unharmed, and urging the public to remain calm.
According to his narration, the attackers, who were dressed in police and military uniforms, engaged the convoy in a chase, forcing the driver to manoeuvre into a shop area where the shooting intensified and during which the police escort reportedly resisted the attackers until his ammunition was exhausted and he was overpowered and shot.
Ngige further revealed that the armed men made statements suggesting ideological motives, including accusing the police operatives of serving what they described as a “zoo government.” He also expressed concern that the assailants appeared to be deliberately harvesting police rifles and uniforms, a development he warned could pose grave danger to public safety if not urgently checked.
Regarding the reactions of Governor Soludo, Ngige confirmed that he contacted the Governor after the attack, during which he assured him that the perpetrators will be tracked down and brought to book. He said the Governor gave him assurances that the state government and security agencies were already working to track down the criminals. He further warned that failure to dismantle the gang could destabilize the peace Anambra has enjoyed in recent months, especially as the Christmas season approaches and residents in the diaspora prepare to return home.
When asked whether the attack was deliberately targeted at him, the former governor acknowledged that his convoy and long-serving pilot driver are widely recognized, making it possible that the attackers knew whose convoy they were attacking. However, he also admitted the possibility that the attackers might have merely targeted the convoy to seize weapons and uniforms.
Ngige also linked the attackers’ statements to the national tension surrounding the detention of the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu, arguing that the situation requires a political rather than purely military solution. He recalled that he had previously engaged former President Muhammadu Buhari on the matter and acknowledged that Governor Soludo had also publicly called for Kanu’s release.
As a medical doctor, Ngige further expressed concern over Kanu’s mental health, suggesting that the “bizarre” symptoms being displayed call for urgent medical reassessment, which in his view, strengthens the argument for a political solution to the crisis.
His words: “Why I say so is because the symptoms he is exhibiting are bizarre. I am not a psychiatrist, but something is wrong. Even the doctors who conducted the psychiatric evaluation missed something. There is a mania component. In such cases, the court normally discharges the person. This is elementary psychiatry, and I am a medical doctor.”
Addressing newsmen shortly after a closed door session with Ngige, Peter Obi expressed gratitude to God that the former Governor survived the attack, even as he also offered condolences to the family of the woman who lost her life during the incident. Obi described the development as troubling and called for renewed efforts to secure lives and property across the state and the nation at large.
Further revealing the details of the his via a post on his social media handles on Friday, Obi wrote:
“Solidarity with Sen. Chris Ngige
“Yesterday, while I was overseas, I received the deeply distressing news of the attack on the convoy of my elder brother, Sen. Chris Ngige. Upon my return today, I visited him in Alor to personally sympathize with him and to thank God for preserving his life.
“The attack, which tragically claimed the life of an innocent woman and left a police orderly injured, is both painful and unacceptable. It is yet another reminder of the needless and avoidable bloodshed our nation continues to witness.
“This unfortunate incident reinforces the urgent need for more coordinated and effective security measures by government at all levels and with the active cooperation of citizens to reverse the rising tide of insecurity in our country. No Nigerian should live in fear, and no one should lose their life in such senseless circumstances.
“My thoughts and prayers are with the family of the woman who lost her life. We must remain committed to building a Nigeria where the sanctity of human life is upheld and where every citizen can move freely and safely.”
Read the report and watch the video of the attack via the link below:
