Police reveal details of how hoodlums bombed Uzodimma’s house [Photo]

Dare devil hoodlums bombed the governor of Imo State’s house early Saturday in his hometown
in Omuma, Oru East Local Government Area of the State killing his guards and several vehicles burnt.

Police statement indicated that petrol bomb was deployed which resulted in inferno that saw sympathisers unable to go close to the blaze to extinguish the fire.

Imo State governor, Senator Hope Uzodimma who is nicknamed ‘Supreme Court governor’, because he clinched the Sam Mbakwe house through a Supreme Court judgement in January, 2020, has been having running battle with his political enemies and members of the Indigenous People of Biafra led by Mazi Nnamdi Kanu.

Senator Uzodimma is seen as a northern apologist and an ally of oligarchs for hobnobbing with them for political reasons. Uzodimma who defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has effectively warmed his way into the heart of President Muhammadu Buhari and has always been around the Aso Rock Presidential Villa.

Saturday’s tragedy which led to the burning of Uzodimma’s official vehicles and the death of a Security guard might not be unconnected to his rejection of activities of members of IPOB.

Eastern Security Network (ESN), the militia wing of IPOB has since the announcement of their existence caused security woes in and around the South East, with effort to penetrate the South South particularly Rivers State, but which was vehemently resisted by Governor Nyesom Wike.

Apart from attacks on private citizens, the IPOB militias have up-their-game by attacking government infrastructure, killing of Police and razing Police Stations across the South East. The five South East States have been under sieze to an extent that it has become a risk wearing security uniforms without being gunned down.

Friday’s raid of Awomama, headquarters of ESN operatives by the combined Security forces i.e, army Police and DSS with the killing of Ikonso, Commander and Vice President Designate of IPOB, as well as killing of six other commanders was a deadly blow on the proscribed IPOB.

The IPOB operatives have engaged the forces in gun duel before the criminals were overpowered. The casualty was not only that IPOB operatives lost some of their men, but assorted rifles, military camouflage, bullet proof (charms) as well as locally made guns were also recovered.

All the states in the South East have experienced attacks by the unknown gunmen who have not shown any signs of halting the attacks.

However, Imo State Police Command has confirmed the burning of the house of the governor of Imo State, Sen. Hope Uzodima at Omuma in Oru East Local Government Area of the state in a statement that did not name IPOB operatives as responsible for the attack.

The statement which was issued by the command and signed by the Police Public Relations Officer, SP Orlando Ikeokwu Godson, said that the hoodlums attacked the governor’s house by “throwing in a petrol bomb as a result of which two cars were burnt.”

He said that the hoodlums were successfully repelled, and none of the building was set ablaze.

According to him one unarmed operative of the National Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC, was killed in the process, while a police sergeant and another NSCDC operative in their private vehicles at Mgbidi junction along Owerri-Onitsha express high way were killed, when the attackers were escaping.

The attackers stormed the place with their vehicles in there numbers dressed in black attire.

The two vehicles, among which was a coaster bus, packed beside the gate and another car inside the compound were set on fire.

The eye witness equally said that the situation had resulted in the blockage of Owerri Onitsha express highway and other adjoining roads by security personnel drafted to the area.

However, the Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr. Declan Mbadiwe Emelumba, has described the unfortunate incident as a politically motivated one.

In his statement issued on Saturday in Owerri, the commissioner said that gallant security operatives repelled an attack on the Omuma country home of the governor.

He explained that “at about 9am today, Saturday, April 24th, a group of hoodlums numbering about 15 driving in a motorcade of three vehicles accompanied by a tipper loaded with used tyres, stormed the country home of the governor in Omuma, Oru East LGA and attempted to burn down the house”. He denied the setting on fire of the governor’s house, disclosing that vigilant security operatives attached to the house successfully repelled the attack and consequently minimised the damage they had planned to unleash.

He added that during cross fire that ensued, a few casualties were, however, recorded.

According to him, government had directed the relevant security agencies to expedite investigation on the incident and promptly apprehend the sponsors and their agents and bring them to book.

Meanwhile, on Wednesday, 14th April, gunmen suspected to be members of IPOB militia group attacked the Nigerian Correctional Service in Owerri and set prisoners free.

They also attacked the Police Command headquarters and burnt vehicles worth millions of naira.