Anambra Governor Chukwuma Soludo has described the attack on Senator Ifeanyi Ubah by yet-to-be identified gunmen as a last ditch -effort by a sinking boat.
Soludo and others, including Hon Chris Azubogu and the Coalition of South East Youth Leaders, COSEYL, condemned the assassination attempt on the Senator.
The apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, described the killings of innocent citizens as barbaric.
The Igbo group through the National Vice Chairman (Southeast), Ichie Damian Okeke -Ogene, asked the Federal Government to find solution to the killings in the country.
He said those who are involved in the killings of security operatives and other citizens of the land should be fished out, adding that if those who are to protect are being slaughtered like goats, what is the fate of ordinary citizens.
Speaking with The Nation Monday, Okeke -Ogene, said Ohanaeze Ndigbo was no longer comfortable with the number of citizens being killed on daily basis in not only in Anambra, but the entire country.
He said if the entire thing was politically motivated because of 2023, that the system does not require such, adding that the land had already faced many challenges already.
However, he commiserated with Senator Ubah for losing such number of people in his convoy, while praying God to grant the souls of the departed eternal rest.
The Ohanaeze leader thanked God sparing the life of Senator Ubah during the mayhem, while condemning the assassination attempt.
Ubah, represents Anambra South senatorial zone on the platform of the Young Progressives Party YPP, and he is the candidate of the party in 2023.
He was ambushed by gunmen in Enugwu -Ukwu, Njikoka local government area Sunday night, where nine persons were feared killed.
Three of his aides were killed during the attack, including his driver, while about five security operatives were also killed by the hoodlums.
Soludo said the perpetrators of the heinous crime would not go unpunished, adding that the security operatives must locate them wherever they were.
He said the attack and killings by those elements on Sunday would not deter him from winning the battle against the criminal elements in Anambra State.
Azubogu, who represents Nnewi North, Nnewi South and Ekwusigo federal Constituency, condemned the attack on Senator Ubah, who is one of his opponents for the 2023 senatorial election for Anambra South.
He called on the State Government to make sure those behind the atrocious act were fished out and face the consequences.
For COSEYL in the Southeast , led by it’s President -General, Hon. Goodluck Ibem, the group felt pained, while condemning the assassination attempt on Ubah.
” The apex socio-political youth group in the South East geopolitical zone condemns in strongest terms the wicked, barbaric, villainous and senseless attack.
“We are really pained and disheartened to receive this heartbreaking news of how our youths just lost their lives within a twinkle of an eye ,what a wicked world!.
“It is infelicitous that such senseless killing of innocent youths who have done nothing wrong is happening in Igboland that is before now adjudged most peaceful in all ramifications.
“Something is fishy in this very attack and we demand that security agencies must unravel those hoodlums and their sponsors behind the assassination attempt on the life of Senator Ubah and bring them to justice.
“This vicious attack and assassination of our youths is a confirmation that enemies of Ndigbo have crept into our midst and they must be found by any means and flushed out immediately.
“We call on the Inspector General of Police, IGP Usman Baba and heads of other security agencies to immediately arrest and prosecute perpetrators of this dastardly act so that justice will be served”. the group said
The group said that security agencies should show the stuff they were made of, adding that Governor Soludo should equally engage the youth for information gathering to help in apprehending the hoodlums.