A Police officer and two other persons have been confirmed dead in a clash between thugs loyal to All Progressive Congress (APC) Ebonyi state chairman, Stanley Okoro-Emegha and another stalwart of the party.
Police Public Relations Officer in the state, SP Chris Anyanwu confirmed the incident in a telephone conversation with journalists and promised to give details of Police findings later.
The incident, it was learnt, happened in Ekoli-Edda community in the council area on Monday, December 26, Boxing Day at 6pm.
Sources in the area said One of those killed in the clash between gangs loyal to the APC State Chairman and the party’s House of Representatives Candidate for Afikpo North and Afikpo South Federal Constituency, Eni Uduma Chima is a 39 years-old-man, Eseni Kalu Egwu.
The duo, the APC Chairman and Chima hail from the same community but have been political foes for a very long time.
However, both of them are now loyalists of the State Governor, David Umahi.
The source also confirmed that a section of an APC state chairman’s compound in the community was also set ablaze including a vehicle belonging to the Police in the clash.
The source further noted that another vehicle in the convoy of the APC chairman Mr Emegha was taken away to an unknown destination by the gunmen.
Speaking on what could be the cause of the clash, the source also confirmed to Tribune Online that the crisis started after an election into the leadership of a youth group in the area.
“At night, unidentified gunmen stormed the country home of Mr Emegha and set it ablaze around 10pm”, the source said.
The APC Chairman, Mr Emegha confirmed the burning of his house.
He said the gunmen attacked him and his convoy unprovoked, killing a Special Protection Unit (SPU), Police Officer attached to him.
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He said two other persons from the village were also killed.
He said: ” It was unprovoked and unbelievable. There was no quarrel or dragging of anything, they just opened fire on me and those who went with me to the village.
“Nobody knows if it was what they smoked or drank but I believe that someone was instrumental to it”
“Yes. It’s true. They attacked me tonight at Ekoli Edda community, and the same people, some of whom I know, I have just heard, burnt my house.
“They attacked me and they burnt my house. I call on the police and other security agencies to swing into action. They know what to do to unravel the truth of the matter. They know what to do.”
“We have three casualties, an SPU Officer, Inspector Akpan attached to me and two other persons from the community.
“They burnt one Police vehicle, a Sienna being used by AK deparent and my Hilux has not been found up till now”
“I was not there when they burnt the house but I got information that they burnt a section of the old building in my compound but they didn’t burn the new building but they destroyed some of the glass windows”
Mr Eni could not be reached for comments at the time of this report. He did not take calls placed to his phone lines.
