Gunmen attack APC chieftain, kill police escort

Chidiebube Okeoma, Owerri

Barely a week after an Assistant Superintendent of Police, Celestine Onwumere, was shot dead in the premises of Orie Mbieri Police Division, Mbaitoli Local Government Area of Imo State, another Police officer attached to Marcon Nlemigbo, who is a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress in the state, was on Monday killed by suspected assassins.

While Nlemigbo’s driver was taken away, another policeman attached to him was also shot and wounded, though he did not die.

An eye witness account said the gunmen had laid an ambush in front of Nlemigbo’s house in Umudagu Mbieri.

Nlemigbo is a former chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party in the state.

According to him, the suspected assassins attacked when his two Police escorts, together with the driver, arrived in a jeep, and one of the escorts wanted to open the gate.

He said the policeman was immediately shot on the hand, while another police escort who was sitting in the owner’s corner was shot sporadically until he died. They then drove off with the driver.

He said, “Immediately the jeep arrived the gate, one of the policemen came down to open the gate and was shot instantly by the gunmen who had laid siege to the place.

“They went straight to the car and shot dead another Police officer who was sitting on the back seat, probably thinking he was the car owner; and then drove away with the driver.”

According to the source, it was a case of mistaken identity, because the policeman who was murdered was sitting in the owner’s corner and the suspected assassins must have thought he was Nlemigbo.

When contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer in the state, Mr. Andrew Enwerem, a Deputy Superintendent of Police, confirmed that a Police Inspector was shot dead during the attack, with a Police Sergeant terribly sustaining injuries, while the politician’s driver was taken away.

He informed that the Commissioner of Police, Mr. Taiwo Lakanu, has ordered an immediate investigation into the murder, with a view of bringing the perpetrators to justice.