‘APC Thugs Shot Me, My Brother At NDC Meeting, Police Arrested Member Who Filmed Attack’ –Enugu Politician | Sahara Reporters

According to Onovo, the NDC had announced its ward meeting for September 12 through community platforms in Obuoffia, only for the APC to announce a meeting on the same date and at the same venue, Obuoffia Central School.

A Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) chieftain in Enugu State has accused suspected thugs loyal to the All Progressives Congress (APC) of attacking a party ward meeting, shooting him, his elder brother and several other members, while alleging that the police have failed to arrest the attackers and instead detained a party member who filmed the incident.

Hon. Donald Onovo, who said he narrowly escaped death during the September 12 attack in Nkanu West Local Government Area, spoke exclusively to SaharaReporters on Tuesday, detailing how what should have been a routine political meeting descended into violence and how the Nigeria Police Force subsequently arrested one of the victims who recorded the attack rather than the alleged perpetrators.

According to Onovo, the NDC had announced its ward meeting for September 12 through community platforms in Obuoffia, only for the APC to announce a meeting on the same date and at the same venue, Obuoffia Central School.

“We had prior announcement which was published in Obuoffia general platforms that the meeting will be held on September 12. After one week, the APC members in Obuoffia announced that they will have their own meeting on same date, being September 12, Saturday. The APC members also announced the same venue,” Onovo told SaharaReporters.

Onovo said he and the NDC ward chairman agreed to relocate the meeting to Isi-Ani Awkunanaw, the ancestral home of Awkunanaw, to avoid a confrontation.

“I disagree with him since we fixed our own meeting by 3pm while they fixed theirs by 10am. I told my chairman that if anything happened it would be that we came to meet them, that in order to avoid trouble we should move ours out of the location,” he explained.

The NDC meeting was subsequently moved to 4pm at the new venue, but, according to Onovo, the attackers followed them there.

He recalled that party members remained fearful despite the relocation because APC thugs had allegedly attacked a Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) ward meeting in nearby Akpugo days earlier.

“Immediately we finished opening prayers, the chairman of the party in the ward had finished addressing members. So I was the one holding microphone speaking when the APC members drove in,” Onovo said.

The attackers arrived in a convoy comprising a white Mercedes-Benz, an ash-coloured Lexus, a Toyota Corolla, two tricycles and three motorcycles.

Onovo said they initially drove past the meeting venue, where no security personnel were present, before returning and attacking the gathering.

“One of our stakeholders, Hon. USA Igwesi, was inside the ash Lexus with his brother the traditional ruler, Igwe Obiora Igwesi. So when they packed their vehicles and were coming towards us, for the fact that I saw the traditional ruler with his brother, while other people following them were carrying guns, I told people that they should not run,” Onovo narrated.

“I initially felt that they were coming to issue warnings because we know most of the people with them. The personal assistant to the Nkanu West LGA Chairman, Mr Sunday Moses aka ‘Odogwu’ was also with them. Before I could understand what was going on, they started shooting their guns on us. Immediately people dashed scampering for safety.”

Onovo identified those he said he saw shooting as individuals known as Stone, Agege and Moses Sunday, whom he said was from Akpugo, not Obuoffia. He alleged that they were accompanied by Igwe Obiora Igwesi and USA Igwesi and said the attackers did not cover their faces.

“I asked Odogwu why he should come to our community and start shooting us. Is it how it has reached, that we were only just hosting a Ward Meeting, that campaign hasn’t started? That we are not campaigning yet,” Onovo said.

The gunfire struck several people, including Onovo’s elder brother, who was shot in the stomach and underwent major surgery. The ward chairman was also hit.

Onovo said that after the attackers fled, people brought vehicles to convey the injured to Meridian Multi-Specialist Hospital in Agbani. He and the ward chairman then went to Ozalla Police Station to report the incident, carrying bullet shells they had collected in a nylon bag.

At the station, they reportedly met the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) and the Divisional Crime Officer (DCO), identified as Igwe Ekene.

“We explained the whole incident. The DPO asked us why did we hold the meeting the same day with the APC. The ward chairman reminded him that he came to his office with a letter informing him of the meeting and he acknowledged it,” Onovo said.

“Despite seeing us with blood, he wasn’t even concerned. He was more interested in why we should hold the meeting in any part of the community when APC is holding theirs, no matter whether they had finished or not.”

Onovo said the DPO initially refused to issue police medical reports for all the injured people to receive treatment, insisting on issuing reports only to the two men present at the station. He added that the DCO collected the bullet shells as evidence.

Onovo alleged that while the police had not arrested any of the attackers, whom he accused of moving around with the protection of the police and government, they arrested an NDC member who recorded video footage of the incident.

“While the police have not arrested any of those who shot us, the same Police Divisional Crime Officer (DCO) was sent to come and arrest one of our members who recorded some video clips of the attack,” Onovo said.

The videographer, Chidi Samuel Ani, was arrested over allegations of cyberstalking and is currently remanded in prison custody, according to Onovo.

He said Igwe Ekene, the same DCO who acknowledged the NDC’s letter requesting police protection for the meeting and issued the police medical report, was also responsible for Ani’s arrest.

“It should be noted that before the meeting we had written to the police division that we want to hold a ward meeting of NDC and the DPO directed the DCO Igwe Ekene to acknowledge the letter. The same Igwe Ekene was the person who gave us police report that we took to hospital. The same Igwe Ekene was the one who came to arrest the videographer,” Onovo said.

Onovo further alleged that the Igwesi brothers were invited by the police at one point but were subsequently released and had returned to moving freely.

“The police invited Igwe Obiora Igwesi and USA Igwesi and others, they have since returned while our member who recorded video of attack was thrown behind prison wall. This is not investigation and justice,” Onovo said.

He also accused the police of failing to investigate the attack promptly or visit the scene before arresting Ani.

“The police didn’t even bother to obtain our statement until when they arrested one of our members, Chidi Ani, that they obtained our statements as witnesses at the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID). There was nothing like Police from Ozalla division coming to obtain information from us or even visiting the scene of the attack.”

Onovo said his elder brother’s condition stabilised after surgery and that he feared for his own safety. He accused the police of protecting the alleged attackers while persecuting the victims.

“As we speak my life is being threatened. My elder was shot in the stomach and went for major surgery, but thank God he survived it. He has been discharged from hospital with other victims,” he said.

He added that Ani remained in custody while those accused of carrying out the shooting continued to move around freely.

“Chidi is still remanded at the prison custody while those who shot us, we know and saw, were going around, protected by police and government, while the victims are persecuted.”

The incident comes amid concerns about political violence in Enugu State ahead of the 2027 general elections, with allegations that opposition party members face intimidation while attempting to organise political activities.

Attempts by SaharaReporters to reach the Enugu State Police Command spokesperson for comment on the allegations were unsuccessful as of the time of filing this report. Calls to the command’s spokesperson, SP Daniel Ndukwe, and the DPO of Ozalla Division were not answered or returned.