Some of the gunmen who attacked the Senator representing Anambra South senatorial district, Patrick Ifeanyi Ubah, have been arrested.
Anambra State governor, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, who made the disclosure at the burial ceremony of the father of the member of the House of Representatives representing Njikoka/Anaochal/Dunukofia federal constituency of the State, Hon. Dozie Nwankwo, on Friday at Enugwu-ukwu community where the attack took place about a month ago, however stated that some other members of the gang were still on the run.
He, however, assured that the criminals would be tracked down to face the consequences of their action.
Recall that Senator Ubah had escaped unhurt during the attack, his attackers killed two of the security aides attached to him and two of his civilian aides.
The deceased, Pa Boniface Nwankwo was also the father of wife of a former Rivers State governor and immediate-past Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi.
Soludo assured that the state has been relatively purged of violent criminals, adding that the act of criminality is not what the state is known for.
Soludo said: “Three weeks ago, it was in this same community that some elements chose to attack Senator Ifeanyi Ubah. I want to tell you that we have arrested a number of those involved in that attack. We are still on the trail of the remaining people.
“We will not let people like that define who we are. This is Anambra State, and we are peaceful people. We must embrace peace, even in the coming elections. Anambra is peaceful, Anambra is safe.
“We have chased away bad elements in the state. The pockets of crime you hear of are just a small number of the bad elements left. They will not disappear in one night, even in civilised places, there are still few bad elements.”
Soludo expressed satisfaction with the level of political tolerance being exhibited by members of the political class in the state, noting that despite of their divergent political ambitions and differences, they show each other support in time of their individual’s needs.
He pointed at the presence of Senators Uche Ekwunife and Victor Umeh, candidates of the PDP and Labour Party respectively in the Anambra Central senatorial zone at the funeral ceremony even when Hon. Dozie Nwankwo is contesting against them under the the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) platform for the same senatorial seat in the coming general election.
Turning to Nwankwo, Soludo said to him jokingly: “Dozie, all the people you are running for Senate against are here, so who will leave the contest for the other? We are Anambra people, and violence doesn’t define us. Irrespective of party, we will remain brothers and sisters, and we always come together like this to support one another.”
Soludo eulogised Pa Nwankwo, stating that he lived a good life, a long and impactful one too, having died at the ripe age of 83.
In his response, Hon. Dozie Nwankwo expressed gratitude to Soludo and all those who graced the burial ceremony, confirming that despite political differences, political players in the state are peaceful and see each other as their brothers.
Besides wife of President Muhammadu Buhari, Mrs Aisha Buhari, who graced the requiem mass virtually, other dignitaries who came to sympathise with the bereaved family included former Rivers State governor, Rt Hon Rotimi Amaechi, Senators Victor Umeh, Uche Ekwunife, and many other dignitaries.
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