Atiku Abubakar, the Peoples Democratic Party's (PDP) candidate for president, has denounced the failed assassination attempt on Senator Ifeanyi Uba that occurred on Sunday by as-yet-unidentified gunmen.
When assassins opened fire on Senator Uba's vehicle on Sunday, allegedly killing five police escorts as well as his aides, the senator narrowly avoided certain death.
On the Young Progressives Party (YPP) platform, Ubah represents the Anambra South senatorial zone. Ubah was attacked at the Nkwo Enugwu Ukwu crossroads in the state's Njikoka local government area.
On Sunday, Atiku issued a statement on his verified Twitter in which he denounced the heinous deed.
He stated, “The attack on the convoy of Senator @Dr_IfeanyiUbah stands condemned. My condolences go to the families of those injured and killed in the attack. I share my sympathy with the Distinguished Senator. May the souls of the departed Rest in Peace.
“We’ve got work to do to ensure that safety and security returns to our dear country. –AA.”
He added, “The attack on the convoy of senator @dr_ifeanyiubah stands condemned. My condolences go to the families of those injured and killed in the attack. I share my sympathy with the distinguished senator. May the souls of the departed rest in peace.”
In a similar vein, a former lawmaker representing Kaduna Central Senatorial District on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Shehu Sani also condemned the attack.
Sani, in a statement, via his verified Twitter stated, “The deadly attack on Senator Ifeanyi Ubah and the killing of his aides is unfortunate, tragic and condemnable.”
The Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Tochukwu Ikenga, said the Commissioner of Police in Anambra State, Mr. Echeng Echeng, had already led operatives to the scene at Nkwo market, Enugwukwu.
In a statement issued on Sunday night, he said though the details of the incident are still sketchy, operatives are on ground there to monitor the situation.
He said the police would communicate further details as things unfold, adding that the Police remained committed to getting to the root of the matter.
Sen Ifeanyi Ubah’s media aide, Kameh Ogbonna, said his bullet proof jeep saved his life.
“If not for the bullet proof jeep the Senator was riding in, he would have been dead by now.”
Ogbonna said, “This is an attempt on the life of the Senator representing Anambra South Senatorial District, Dr. Patrick Ifeanyi Ubah.
“We were passing Enugwu Ukwu junction when they hit us front and back from all sides and as I speak with you Obum, the special aide to Senator Ifeanyi Uba is dead and about seven security operatives were hit by the assassins bullet and they may have died,” he added.
Ubah is said to be in an undisclosed hospital where he is being monitored by doctors even though he was not physically hurt.