On Wednesday, unknown gunmen ambushed the convoy of former Anambra State governor and ex–Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr Chris Ngige, along the Nkpor–Nnobi Road in Idemili North Local Government Area of Anambra State, killing at least one person and leaving several others injured. According to eyewitnesses, the attackers, who were dressed in what appeared to be police and military uniforms, opened fire on the convoy’s pilot vehicle as it drove through the busy corridor.
Sources said the assailants first targeted the lead car, shooting a police officer and carting away his rifle and uniform in the confusion that followed. The pilot car was riddled with bullets as the gunmen continued to fire sporadically, causing motorists and pedestrians to scamper for safety. A shop owner who rushed out to see what was happening was hit by stray bullets and sustained serious injuries; he reportedly lost a great deal of blood and was later scheduled for surgery to remove bullet fragments.
Tragically, a woman who had taken out her phone to record the incident was shot dead on the spot. Witnesses said she was standing by the roadside filming the chaos when the gunmen turned their guns on her, killing her instantly. The convoy’s escort leader also sustained gunshot wounds and was rushed to hospital, where he underwent surgery and is reported to be in stable condition.
Dr Ngige was not in the convoy at the time of the attack, a development that likely spared him harm. His former media aide, Fred Chukwuelobe, confirmed the incident, explaining that the vehicles were returning from a mechanic’s workshop when they ran into the armed men. Chukwuelobe said he had spoken with Ngige, who “confirmed the attack and assured that all necessary measures are being taken to ensure adequate medical care for the injured,” adding that the former governor “extended condolences to the family of the woman who was killed while recording the attack.”
Ngige himself, reacting to the incident, was quoted as saying that he remained alive and unharmed but deeply disturbed. “I was not in the convoy. I’m still alive and well. Those hoodlums have started again. I came to my state to relax, but what happened is unfortunate,” he said, vowing that the perpetrators “will not go unpunished.”
As of press time, the Anambra State Police Command had yet to issue a detailed statement on the incident, though security sources indicated that investigations were under way to identify and apprehend the attackers. The ambush has further heightened concerns about rising insecurity along major roads in the South-East and the increasing boldness of armed groups who disguise themselves in security uniforms to carry out deadly assaults.
