One person was shot when suspected political thugs attacked the supporters of the Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Atiku Abubakar in Eberi in the Omuma Local Government Area of Rivers State.
One of the victims is the coordinator of the PDP Presidential campaign council in Omuma LGA, Nnamdi Nwogu.
Nwogu, who confirmed the attack to our correspondent on the telephone on Monday, said over 30 youths brandishing machetes and guns swooped on him, his aide and three others, while they were pasting posters of their principal at the popular Eberi-Omuma junction in Omuma on Sunday.
He alleged that the attack was ordered by the political leaders in the area, noting that one of Atiku’s supporters who is his aide, Udochukwu Nwakpala was macheted and shot at.
Nwogu further said Udochukwu was in critical condition in an undisclosed hospital in Port Harcourt.
He stated, “Three days ago, I gave my boys posters of Atiku Abubakar to paste in my local government, and yesterday (Sunday), I now called one of my boys, Udochukwu and a friend of mine to join me to see if the posters were pasted the way I have directed.
“When we got to the place, I saw the posters in some areas. But I noticed that the posters were not at a strategic place called Eberi-Omuma. I said okay, since I am around let me ensure it was done. I said come and paste these posters here.
“While I was there inspecting them, I noticed one of the councillors in Ward 1, popularly called mayor councillor; he saw what they were doing. He went back and made a telephone call. The next thing, we saw over 30 boys armed with machetes and guns. These boys looked at me, they started attacking us. They used machetes on my boy, Udochukwu, and harassed me and my friend with machetes. Even when I tried to rescue my boy who was bleeding because they machete this boy all round and shot him.’’
He said the matter was reported to the Eberi-Omuma and Okehi police stations, even as he called on the police and the federal government to intervene, saying his life and those of his supporters were in danger.
Speaking on the incident, the spokesman of the PDP Presidential campaign council in Rivers State, Dr. Leloonu Nwibubasa condemned the attack and called on the police to immediately commence an investigation with a view to arresting those behind the attack.
Nwibubasa said, “This reign of terror on members of our great party in Omumu LGA who were elected freely to support Atiku Abubakar yesterday is highly condemnable.
“The life of Udochukwu Nwakwala is presently at stake and we are worried if he will survive the gunshots and machete cuts that were rained on him for simply pasting Atiku’s posters in Omuma.
“I want to call on the Governor of Rivers State to call his members of the party loyal to him and carrying out orders inimical to humanity to order. This is a test case for the new commissioner of police in the state. He must investigate, arrest and prosecute whoever is responsible for this dastardly act.”
When contacted, the spokesperson of the state police command, Grace Iringe-koko said she was in a meeting and asked our reporter to send him a text message.
Iringe-koko, a superintendent of police, had yet to give feedback as of the time of filing this report.
Meanwhile, a trending video of the victim on social media showed medical staff administering treatment to him.
