Gunmen on Sunday reportedly attacked some members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Nnewi North Local Government Area of Anambra State, killing one of its members.

The party members were holding a meeting of Uruagu Ward 3, in preparation for the forthcoming governorship election, when the men struck, disrupted the meeting with a hail of gunshots, leading to the death of one Somadina Oforma, a member of the party in the ward.

It was also gathered that several other members of the party who were in the meeting sustained varying degrees of injury as a result of the attack.

Meanwhile, the candidate of the APC in the forthcoming election, Senator Andy Uba has said the attack was politically motivated, while also calling on the state governor, Willie Obiano to quickly rise and stop the spate of killings in the state.

Uba in a press release by his campaign organization, which was signed by the Director of Media, Victor Ogene stated that it is not the first time its party members would be attacked.

The release read: “The late Oforma was, without any provocation, shot dead inside the APC office at Uruagu Ward 3, Nnewi North Local Government Area of the state, while holding a meeting with other party faithful, many of whom sustained varying degrees of injury.

“Uba has, however, promised to immortalize the deceased, and also reach out to the injured.

“We recall that, on July 31, 2021, at Oba, Idemili South LGA, unknown gunmen, operating in a similar fashion, accosted and killed Mr. Cosmas Eze, our party’s acting Assistant Secretary for the local government area, and dispossessed him of the APC branded Sienna vehicle he was driving. The late Mr. Eze hailed from Akwu Ukwu in the same council area.

“The seemingly targeted attack on the APC was to go a notch higher, when on Saturday, September 10, 2021, the traditional ruler of Mkpunando in Anambra East LGA, Igwe Alex Edozieuno, and his driver, Chukwuemeka, was waylaid and killed.

“It is instructive to note that the late Igwe Edozieuno had one month before his brutal death joined the APC, after being deposed by the Obiano administration.

“Whilst not imputing any direct motive to these attacks, we are however constrained to observe that our party, the APC, has borne the brunt of the majority of them, leaving us to wonder when political contest in Anambra State degenerated to the point of opposition party members living in fear.

“We, therefore, call on Governor Obiano, as the Chief Security Officer of the state, and other law enforcement agencies, including the police, the Department of State Security, DSS, and the Civil Defense Corps, to urgently take steps to halt the growing reign of terror in our state.”

The spokesperson for the Anambra State Police Command, DSP Toochukwu Ikenga confirmed the incident, saying it happened at about 7 pm on Sunday.

Ikenga said: “Commissioner of Police, Anambra State Command CP Tony Olofu has ordered an investigation into a shooting incident at Uruagu Community, Nnewi on 26/09/2021.

“Preliminary investigation reveals the attackers at about 7 pm on 26/09/2021, along Uruagu Community, started shooting sporadically. Two persons who sustained gunshot injuries were taken to the hospital. One of the victims who was later identified as Somuadina Oforma was confirmed dead by the doctor on duty while the other is receiving treatment in the hospital.”