A police officer has paid the supreme price as the convoy of former Imo State Governor, Rochas Okorocha came under gunmen fire.
The unfortunate incident occurred on Friday, June 16, 2023, at the Ihube community on the Okigwe- Enugu expressway in the South Eastern state.
Reports say the Ihube section of the expressway has become a hotbed of killings and kidnappings with terrorists laying siege on travellers.
The reign of terror has forced many people, including politicians in the community, to abandon their homes and run to Owerri, the state capital and other places for safety purposes.
Confirming the incident, which he described as an assassination attempt, Okorocha said he was sad that his convoy could be attacked.
The former two-term governor said this while speaking at the birthday anniversary celebration of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate for the November 11 governorship election in Imo state, Samuel Anyanwu.
Speaking at the celebration held at Amaimo in the Ikeduru Local Government Area of the state, on Sunday, June 18, 2023, he said the deceased officer was one of the policemen deployed from the state Government House to take him to the burial ceremony of the mother of the immediate past governor of Imo state, Emeka Ihedioha.
Okorocha described the killing of the officer as “unfortunate”, adding that he was returning from Enugu after attending the burial ceremony of the wife of a former senate president, Ken Nnamani when his convoy was attacked.
He, however, said Enugu State Governor, Peter Mbah, released vehicles and security men to take him and his team to Imo state for the burial ceremony of Ihedioha’s mother.
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 released to me by the governor of Enugu state (a very good man) to attend the burial ceremony of Ihedioha’s mother at Mbaise that was attacked and one policeman 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.”
