Gunmen Set Nnewi South LG Headquarters On Fire

*Soludo visits local council headquarters attacked by gunmen

Gunmen have killed one person and burnt the Secretariat of Nnewi South Local Government Area in Ukpor Anambra State.

The incident took place on Thursday morning. Eyewitnesses said the deceased was one of the security men in the Council Secretariat.

Tension enveloped the Council with residents fearing for their lives.

Ukpor in Nnewi South is the local government area of some notable politicians, including first Minister of Aviation, Mbazulike Amechi, 92; former House of representatives member, Hon Cyril Maduabom and former Anambra Speaker Hon Rita Maduagwu among others.

Confirming the incident, Anambra Police spokesman, Ikenga Tochukwu, said he has not ascertained the number of casualties yet.

He said operatives had been deployed to the area while men of the State Fire Service were were already on ground to quench the fire.

Tochukwu further said Anambra Commissioner of Police had gone to the scene to assess things for himself.

He said that it was a case of arson.

Meanwhile, Governor Charles Soludo of Anambra State has condemned the Thursday attack on Nnewi South Council headquarters by gunmen.

Gunmen attacked the council headquarters in Ukpor and killed a security guard on duty. They also razed several buildings within the secretariat.

Mr Soludo, accompanied by his aides and some security agencies, visited the council headquarters to inspect the structures and assess the level of damage in the area.

He described the incident as “a very sad moment.”

The governor said there is a need to find out what caused the attack.

The gunmen invaded the council headquarters around 12:30 a.m. and killed the security guard to gain access to the secretariat, the governor said.

“Whatever may be the motive, whatever may be the cause, whatever may be the thing or protest, arson and bloodletting cannot be part of it,” Mr Soludo said.

He said the state government would have to deploy money meant for other projects to rebuild the destroyed building.

“Who is the loser? The common man on the street. My heart bleeds,” Governor Soludo said.

Governor Soludo said the security agencies would “get to the bottom” of the incident. He expressed his resolve to restore law and order in the state.

This is the first attack in Anambra State since Mr Soludo’s inauguration as the governor on March 17.

The governor, during his inaugural address, promised to engage in a dialogue with the outlawed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and other “disparate groups” to restore peace and security in the state.

IPOB, a group seeking the creation of an independent state of Biafra which they want carved out from the South-east and some parts of South-south, has been linked to some of the deadly attacks across the South-east and South-south regions.