Suspected political thugs have set fire to the residence of Ezemonye Ezekiel-Amadi, the All Progressives Congress (APC) National Assembly candidate for the Ikwerre/Emuoha Federal Constituency. The incident occurred on Saturday in Omerelu, his hometown located in the Ikwerre Local Government Area of Rivers State. Reports indicate that the arsonists invaded the area, broke into his home, and ignited the fire. During the chaos, some local youths managed to intercept a few of the assailants and apprehended them.
In a video he shared, Ezekiel-Amadi described the extensive damage inflicted on his property, noting that most of the rooms were destroyed. He explained that the assailants shattered the glass windows and set fire to the curtains. The video revealed the devastation: all the louvre glasses were broken, and furniture, ceilings, and electronics were consumed by flames. One of the captured assailants reportedly confessed to breaking the windows and igniting the curtains. Following the arrest, community youths rushed to his house to prevent the fire from spreading further. Ezekiel-Amadi expressed gratitude for their efforts, stating, “But for the intervention of my relatives and community youths, the damage could have been worse.”
Darlington Nwauju, the spokesperson for the APC in Rivers State, condemned the incident, alleging that it was orchestrated by a suspected member of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP). He emphasized that this attack underscores the party’s call for increased police surveillance on APC leaders and candidates in the state, labeling the incident as yet another example of politically motivated violence. Nwauju warned that such attacks must cease, asserting that APC members should not be subjected to violence during every election cycle. He criticized the inability of security forces to adequately protect the state from criminal elements and hired thugs targeting APC members.
Nwauju commended the youths of Omerelu for their quick action in apprehending the arsonist and expressed the APC’s commitment to ensuring justice is served. He stated, “The APC will be watching to ensure that justice is not only done but is seen to be done to serve as a deterrent to other arsonists and political predators who wish to undermine the APC and other opposition parties in Rivers State.” When contacted for comment, Grace Iringe-Koko, the spokesperson for the state police command, indicated that she would investigate the matter and provide feedback. However, as of Sunday afternoon, she had not yet responded.
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