According to the senator, Mr. Omo-Agege, alongside his wife, children, and some APC chieftains and supporters, went to a venue in Uvwie for the second phase of his constituency empowerment program when armed youths allegedly stormed the premises and began attacking the senator and his entourage.
The Delta State Police Command has dismissed claims by the All Progressives Congress (APC) senator representing Delta Central, Ovie Omo-Agege, that thugs attempted to assassinate him, his family, APC leaders, and supporters when they invaded the venue of his constituency empowerment program in Effurun, Uvwie, Delta State.
According to the senator, Mr. Omo-Agege, alongside his wife, children, and some APC chieftains and supporters, went to a venue in Uvwie for the second phase of his constituency empowerment program when armed youths allegedly stormed the premises and began attacking the senator and his entourage.
At least two persons were severely injured in the attack.
Shortly after the incident, Mr. Omo-Agege, through his media and strategy team, issued a statement titled "Senator Omo-Agege Survives Assassination Attempt.”
The statement, which was obtained by SaharaReporters, read in part:
"We condemn in the strongest terms today’s obvious premeditated assassination attempt on the Distinguished Senator Ovie Omo-Agege, his wife, members of his family, APC leaders and his supporters during the second phase of the senator’s constituency empowerment program in Effurun, Uvwie Local Government Area of Delta State. We note with sadness that two persons were seriously injured during this violent attack unleashed on the peace-loving senator and his team by the suspected killers.
"We call on security agencies to immediately arrest the hoodlums and bring them to justice. We note with regret that the hoodlums staged the violent attack when the senator and his team were at the popular Effurun Market giving direct financial support to over hundreds of petty traders and Okada riders. They shot sporadically, destroyed chairs and canopies at the event venues and inflicted serious bodily injuries on members of the public. The attackers made a direct threat on the senator’s life when they came face to face with him and his wife.
"Senator Omo-Agege did not, however, yield to their violence, as he chose to provide bold and wise leadership to avoid unnecessary bloodshed over his charitable support for his constituents. Those injured were taken to hospitals for treatment on the senator’s timely advice before he and his team drove to Ekpan Police Station to formally complain to the police authorities. We expect the police to act. We wish to advise and warn that it is in the interests of those who attacked the Distinguished Senator Omo-Agege to turn themselves in to the security agencies immediately," the statement said.
But in a fierce reaction to the claims by the senator, Delta State Commissioner of Police Zanna Ibrahim dismissed the claims, insisting that they were not aware of any assassination plot against Mr. Omo-Agege, adding that politicians are fond of making a mountain out of a molehill.
"I don't know about any assassination attempt on the senator. Didn't he have policemen with him? I know he reported a complaint at the Ekpan Police Station that he was attacked by thugs during an empowerment program, but I don't know whether it boils down to an assassination attempt. My question is, didn't he have policemen with him? As a senator, who would go on empowerment program empty-handed?
"If you are going for empowerment program are you not supposed to tell the police that you will do empowerment program and they give you police? Did he do that? Also, didn't he have police operatives with him? Somebody will not just wake up to say they attempted to assassinate him.”
According to the police boss, Mr. Omo-Agege has access to police and security operatives, and when going for such empowerment programs, he ought to inform the area commander to provide him with security.
“You know these politicians,” Mr. Ibrahim said. “They will just say anything for their own political gains.”
