Chaos erupted on Thursday in Ovade, Oghara, Ethiope West Local Government Area of Delta State after gunmen reportedly opened fire at the venue of the All Progressives Congress (APC) local government congress.
The attack forced Rt. Hon. Erhiatake Ibori-Suenu to flee under heavy security in what her aides described as a targeted assassination attempt.
Ibori-Suenu, who represents Ethiope Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives and is the daughter of former Delta State governor, James Ibori, had reportedly arrived at the congress venue when armed men attacked party members and blocked access to the field where the exercise was scheduled to hold.
Eyewitnesses said tension heightened moments after her arrival before gunshots rang out, sending delegates and supporters scampering for safety.
“We ran for our lives. Some of us fell and got injured. They attacked us at the gate and prevented us from entering,” one eyewitness recounted, adding that the attackers were heavily armed.
Members of the lawmaker’s entourage alleged that the assailants appeared determined to stop her from accessing the venue. According to one aide, security operatives quickly formed a protective shield around her and evacuated her from the scene. Some security personnel were reportedly injured while repelling the attackers.
Several party supporters were said to have sustained injuries in the melee, although the exact number of casualties had not been officially confirmed as of press time.
An aide close to the lawmaker described the incident as deliberate, alleging that certain powerful interests were uncomfortable with the congress process. However, no official evidence has been made public to support the claims, and no arrests had been announced by security agencies at the time of filing this report.
Despite the incident, Ibori-Suenu was said to have urged her supporters to remain calm and refrain from taking the law into their hands.
Security agencies are expected to launch a full investigation into the attack as pressure mounts on authorities and party stakeholders to identify and apprehend those responsible.
More details later.