Shoot Out In Anambra Council As 20 Gun Men Invade Council , Made Away With Mace: Speaker Impeached

                                            

Tension and pandemonium best described the scene at Idemmili South local Government Area , Anambra state when an unknown gun men numbering over 20 invaded the council Headquarters at Ojoto and made away with the mace, the symbol of authority for the legislative arm.

The gun men invaded the council in a Hilux Van with Siren but without plate number about 3 pm and rushed to the legislative chambers where the mace was positioned and grabbed it , made away with it and when the lawmakers in session tried to stop them. They shot indiscriminately into the air to scare them before escaping with the mace unchallenged.

The Nation learnt four men came into the council chambers while others numbering about 16 waited patiently outside and embarked on a shooting spree after they have successfully made away with the mace.

Members ran for their dear lives and strongly condemned the act of invasion, calling on the Commissioner for Police for a total investigation to discover the people behind the dastardly act. They said their lives are in danger and have written a petition to CP.

The shoot out and stealing of the mace followed an impeachment of the Speaker of the Legislative House , Idemmili South , Hon Amaka Obidigbo from Awka Etiti ward one on Wednesday.

Majority Leader Marcel Ezeugo representing Nnobi ward 3 took over after the vote of no confidence was moved on the speaker, Obidigbo supported by 9 members out of 11.

The Police Spokesperson Emeka Chukwuemeka however said he was yet to be briefed as at the time of going to the press even as efforts to reach the Ojoto Divisional police officer failed.

However, the allegedly impeached speaker, Obidigbo and other Councillors confirmed the invasion by gunmen at separate speeches with this reporter.

Confirming the incidence , the Councillor representing Awka Etiti ward 2 , Ebele Anuliefo, the majority leader Marcel Ezeugo and Osisiego Jude representing Alor ward 1 confirmed the shoot out and the impeachment of Obidigbo as speaker and her replacement with Charles Akubueze former Deputy Speaker representing Alor ward 2.

They said that their lives are in danger as they are no longer safe to attend to their legislative duties and appealed to the commissioner of police , Usman Gwary to provide security for them and investigate the mayhem.

Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftain Affairs , Lady Azuka Enemuo from the local government could not be reached for her comment before going to the press.

But the Speaker , Obidgbo when contacted insisted that she remains the Speaker because the process of removing her was not within due process as there are procedures that must be followed before removing her.

She however confirmed the invasion of the gun men into the council but said she went to Awka when it happened. She encouraged this reporter to call the chairman of the council , Henry Ezenwa who equally was not on seat when this happened for further clarifications. Efforts to reach the chairman was not successful as his numbers were not going through as at the time of this report.

Meanwhile, condemnation has already trailed the action as the Chairman of Chairmen and Secretary of Chairmen in all the wards in Idemmili South Local government area, , Chief Okigbo Azubuike and Ide Godwin Eze respectively in a press statment condmened the breech of law and order in the local government ; warning those behind the gun shooting in the council area in a new democracy at the grass root to desist from the act.

They called for investigation from all law enforcement agencies to get at the root of the shoot out to forestall further brigandage as such lawless acts are not good for democracy.

The Nation gathered that the Clark of the Legislative House had sent them text messages for their sitting and they were 11 out of 12 excluding the impeached speaker when the gun men invaded , carting away the mace , shooting severally in the air.