From George Onyejiuwa, Owerri
A police officer was killed on Friday as gunmen swooped on the convoy of the former governor of Imo state, Senator Rochas Okorocha.
Witnesses said the ex governor’s convoy was reportedly attacked at Ihube in Okigwe community, along the Okigwe- Enugu expressway.
Confirming the killing of the police officer and the alleged assassination bid on him, Okorocha said that he was surprised that his convoy could be attacked.
Senator Okorocha disclosed this on Sunday at Amaimo in Ikeduru Local Government Area of the state, during the birthday celebration of the Senator Samuel Anyanwu , the gubernatorial candidate of Peoples Democratic Party for the November 11 governorship polls in the state.
Okorocha described the killing of the police officer as an unfortunate incident explaining that he was retuning from Enugu, after attending the burial ceremony of the wife of former Senate President, Ken Nnamani.
He said that the Enugu state Governor , Mr. Peter Mbah had released vehicles and security men to take him and his team to Imo state for the burial ceremony of Ihedioha’s mother, pointing out that, “it was after he had finished attending the funeral ceremony at Mbaise and the convey had dropped him at his Spilbat mansion in Owerri and headed .back to Enugu that they were attacked.”
Okorocha said that he was embittered because he was safe in Enugu only for bandits to attacked his convoy thinking that he was inside vehicle and a security agent killed in his own state.
He said: ”I am angry. I am very angry. I am angry because I spent two days in Enugu and nothing happened to me but it is in my own state that the convoy that was
released to me by the governor of Enugu state to attend the burial ceremony of Ihedioha’s mother at Mbaise was attacked and one police man killed.
“What is happening in Imo state makes me angry. Many people who are running to govern Imo state are not capable but I have seen one man who the cap fits. When it is time I will speak.”
One of the ex governor’s security aides who spoke to our correspondent in confidence said that the vehicles in the convey, which comprised of a Sports Utility Vehicle, a bus and Hilux were shattered by bullets.
He said two other security agents that were kidnapped by the attackers were later released same day.
