10 feared dead as hoodlums disrupt political meeting in Abia

OVER 10 members of the All Progressives Congress, APC, may have died in Abia State as a gang of hoodlums invaded a meeting of the party at Okpuala Aro village, Osisioma Ngwa council area. Sources told Vanguard that the members of the party in the area had earlier met with a senatorial aspirant for Abia Central zone, Senator Nkechi Nwaogu, who came on a campaign tour of the area.

As soon as the senator left with her entourage, the members settled down to attend to other issues. The hoodlums on arriving the meeting, were said to have made for the chairman of the party in ward 4, Osisioma Ngwa, Mr. Chibuike Nwaohanmuo and started beating him. According to the sources, the ward chairman  was unconscious as a result of the beating he was subjected to and was later revived at an undisclosed hospital.

Several party members sustained injuries while others fled to safety as the hoodlums freely used weapons.   An APC faithful who gave his name as Obioma Achonna said the hoodlums robbed him of N30, 000 and beat him up. Another party member, Ihechi Nwankwo said he was    hit on the head with a machete as she made to escape. “We came for a meeting of the APC at Okpuala Aro village where we received Nkechi Nwaogu who came on a campaign tour. As soon as the Senator left, some hoodlums invaded the meeting and brought out weapons.

They  started beating the Ward 4 chairman and other people they could lay hands on. Many members sustained injuries. “We don’t know why the hoodlums invaded the meeting. But I know it cannot be unconnected with a problem between the APC LGA chairman and some party chieftains who signed a petition against him. We are calling on the security agencies to provide security for us before one loses his life while attening party meetings.” A chieftain of the party who pleaded anonymity called on the state leadership of the party to investigate the incident. Vanguard gathered that a detachment of soldiers stationed at a neighbouring community, Arungwa, declined to move to the area but this could not be confirmed as at the time of writing this report.

The Commissioner of Police, Abia State, Mr. Anthony Ogbizi, said he is not aware of the incident and the area commander from the has not confirmed it. Vanguard