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As crisis stalls anambra assembly
sitting: Ngige
survives assassination attempt
• Senate committee members flee Anambra • Police commission interrogates
IG
By Okey Maduforo (Awka)
Chris Agbambu
and Onyekachi Eze (Abuja)
Suspected assassins shattered the lull in
the Anambra mayhem on Monday when they tried twice within minutes to shoot
Governor Chris Ngige in public glare.
He survived, but the story would have been different if not for the
quick reaction of his restored security aides who returned fire.
To circle a ring of urgency around the
troubles in the state, the Police Service Commission (PSC) on the same day in
Abuja showed Inspector General of Police (IG) Tafa Balogun three video clips
of the alleged complicity of his
officers in the conflict earlier this month, which lasted three days, taking
with it several lives and government properties.
A statement issued by PSC Chief
Information Officer Anietie Etiebet confirmed that Balogun was interrogated.
``The meeting received a briefing from
the inspector general of police on the various investigations being carried out. The commission will
perform its constitutional and statutory roles when such investigations
are concluded,'' it added.
Hoodlums overran Awka after the visit of
the peace committee led by Ebonyi State Governor Sam Egwu. However, members of
the Senate committee on the crisis, led by Iyabo Anisulowo, were caught up in
the shoot out.
The criminals began by firing shots in
the air indiscriminately, as a warm up act to execute the plot Ngige had
alleged is in the offing to snuff out his life and those of other top
government functionaries - a claim denied by the camp of his opponent
Chris Uba.
The hit men came in eight buses, stopped
at Aroma junction to regroup, then waited for the governor who was being
expected to meet the Senate committee members.
They opened fire on his convoy as he
approached the destroyed building of the Anambra State Broadcasting Service
(ASBS), but were cut off by his security aides who fired back.
Ngige’s security operatives also
took on the attackers in an exchange of gun shots at Regina Celli junction. No
life was lost. Ten suspects were arrested.
However, at least six buses were torched
as windscreens and tyres had bullet holes on them while their drivers and the
occupants took to their heels.
The committee members became fearful.
They abandoned their inspection of destroyed government properties and fled to
Enugu.
Anisulowo had spoken with government
officials who turned down her suggestion that people should go to Enugu to make
their submissions on the three-day mayhem earlier this month. Her listeners
insisted that the crisis took place in Anambra State, not Enugu.
At the state judiciary building, where
the Senate committee had visited,
Assembly Speaker Mike Balonwu fled the area on hearing that the hoodlums
were regrouping. He threatened as he entered his car: “We are prepared to
take these people on, what sort of rubbish is this? We shall fight them
back”.
Assembly Deputy Speaker Ozo Ughamadu
thundered in anger: “Man cannot die twice, since it has gotten to this
level we shall give them a full dose of their medicine”.
It was at this point that a visibly
shaken Anisulowo became apprehensive, even as government functionaries appealed
for calm while watching as the situation unfolded.
Before leaving for Enugu, she asked Ngige
to evaluate the cost of the damage for the committee’s perusal, adding:
“God is in charge of every situation. Seeing is believing and we have
been able to go round the affected places. I know you must have lost a lot. We
would like you to put them together so that we can study it”.
In his response, Ngige told the committee
that the government is taking its time to ensure that all financial losses are
collated. There, in the presence of the visitors, he shook hands with Police
Commissioner Felix Ogbaudu for the first time since the last chaos.
This week may be full of tension and anxiety
with unconfirmed reports that security operatives are out to confront the
hoodlums “wherever they may be”.
The renewed onslaught against Ngige
stopped the proposed sitting of lawmakers at the burnt state Assembly.
Before the assassins came calling, the
ravaged chambers bombed by the hoodlums had seats arranged on top of the debris
for the legislators.
They exchanged pleasantries at the
premises while the staff cleared up and dusted what remained of the furniture
that survived the arson.
On hearing that members of the Senate
committee on the crisis had come, the lawmakers left for the Government House,
Awka.
Later, Ughamadu said “the House
will sit and make its normal deliberations, accommodation or no
accommodation” adding that the lawmakers would reconvene after the
committee’s visit.
But it was not possible for them to do
so, as they were caught up in the cross fire. They now plan to meet at an
unknown place.
The concern of the PSC which interrogated
Balogun in Abuja was triggered by the state government, members of the Assembly
and concerned citizens who had in the last one-week flooded the commission with
petitions and video clips of the three-day mayhem, urging the commission to
sanction the police for conniving with miscreants to unleash terror on innocent
people and destroying property.
The commission had pledged to deal with
any policeman involved or who connived with the criminals.
However, Balogun on Monday exonerated the state police
command of any complicity.
It was learnt that the main characters in
the conflict were at the PSC headquarters in Abuja last week to lobby for the
retention of Ogbaudu and that no policeman should be sanctioned.
A source at the PSC meeting, which lasted
for more than four hours, said Balogun
had pleaded for more time to allow him interrogate the officers
indicted.
The source, who declined to comment on
the outcome of the meeting, said: ``You
know the issue of Anambra revolves around the police and the role they played in the matter. This is a very sensitive
matter. We have received petitions
from members of the public, the press, leaders of thought, traditional rulers, secretary to the
state government, members of the
state House of Assembly and the
governor of the state”.
He said such reports must be properly
evaluated to enable the commission arrive
at a fair decision.
``You agree that a judge must listen to the other side to avoid miscarriage of
justice. We are waiting to hear from the
other side”, the source said
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