The Anambra state governor, Willie Obiano was reportedly attacked by members of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, yesterday in church.
The attack comes after the bitter spat between the pro-Biafra group and the state government over the forthcoming elections in the state.
The state governor was reported to have narrowly escaped the attack which was carried out by youth and women at the St. Joseph Church, Ekwulobia, Aguata Local Government Area of the state.
Reports indicated that the state governor had hardly settled down in the church when some youth and women wearing the IPOB colours began chanting Biafra songs at the gate of the church.
The IPOB members later proceeded to chant, “No election in Anambra State; we want referendum; no referendum, no election.”
The governor was reported to have made it out of the scene with protection from his security aides.
An eyewitness reported: “As the confrontation between the police and IPOB continued, the number of the invaders kept swelling as if they were reinforced from somewhere. And when it was evident that the attackers wanted to lynch the governor, the security operatives attached to him had to smuggle him out of the church.”
A member of the governor’s press crew also stated that the state governor was not smuggled out of the church as alleged by earlier reports adding that the governor left after addressing the church at the end of the service.
The source said: “The governor was not smuggled out of the church. The issue was that the security men had to stop the agitators at the gate of the church, when they started shouting ‘no election, no election.
“The governor even addressed the issue while speaking to the congregation. He assured them that there would be election in the state.
“He said nobody could stop election in Anambra State. The governor said most of the anti- election protesters are not from Anambra State.”
The Police commissioner in the state, Mr. Garba Umar, confirmed the incident.
He said: “You press people should report this. We will no longer tolerate this impunity from anybody.
“Why should they protest to the church? The Church is a place of worship and not a place of protest. It is obvious that they had criminal intention to attack the governor.
“The police had to stop them at the gate. If they had dared my men, it would have been a different story. We can’t watch anybody breach public peace in this state. They should be warned to desist from this impunity.”
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