Governor Francis Nwifuru of Ebonyi State
The driver of the Ebonyi State House of Assembly Majority Leader, Hon Kingsley Ikoro, who gave his name as Nneoma, has said that he narrowly escaped death in the Sunday killing of two police men along the Okigwe-Owerri Express Road in Imo State.
Mr. Nneoma, while narrating his ordeal to journalists in Abakaliki, said that himself, the lawmaker, the two Policemen, and another occupant of the two convoy vehicles were returning to Abakaliki after attending a burial in Imo State. He said that on getting close to Okigwe junction, one of the vehicles, a BMW Utility vehicle, which was driven by the lawmaker, broke down, and they had to park to check what was wrong with the vehicle.
While we were inspecting the vehicle, a young man approached us and said that he is a mechanic and that he would help us to fix the car. Hon Ikoro was reluctant to allow him to repair the car to forestall further damage. Meanwhile, two of the Policemen who were with me in the second vehicle, a Nivara Truck, said that they wouldn’t come down from the vehicle and preferred to stay back inside the vehicle.
While inside the vehicle, the lawmaker asked the supposed mechanic to get a towing Van to tow the vehicle, which he accepted. We have now started trans loading the bags from the BMW to the truck. Not quite long, a young man wearing jeans knickers with an AK-47 rifle came to me and started asking me of the Policemen with me, but I quickly replied that there are no policemen with me.
Immediately, he opened the door of the truck and opened fire on the police officers who were still seated inside the car. On seeing what was happening, all of us scampered for safety. Later, some soldiers arrived at the scene of the incident, and people started coming out from their hiding places. It was then that we observed that the policemen had been killed. They were shot while inside the vehicle. At no point did we abandon them at the scene and enter another vehicle and left.
Mr. Nneoma expressed sadness over the unfortunate incident, adding that they had already reported to the Ebonyi State Police Headquarters for a statement. When contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO SP Joshua Ukandu, said that the command is already aware of the unfortunate incident, adding that he cannot speak further on the matter as it didn’t happen within his jurisdiction.
