Former governor of Imo State, Ikedi Ohakim has exonerated the separatist Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) from any responsibility over an attack on his convoy that led to the death of four persons in the convoy on Monday.
The convoy of the ex-governor reportedly came under heavy attack by yet to be identified assailants at Umualumaku in Ehime Mbano local government of the state.
But narrating how he survived the violent attack in an interview with TheNiche, an online newspaper, Ohakim said his attackers are more sophisticated than IPOB elements.
“This goes beyond the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), I must say. These are professionals, well-trained. They are not ordinary people. They were driving a blue colour BMW 5-series car, brand new. They came to kill me,” Ohakim said.
The former governor who was together with two of his children also attributed his escape to the bullet proof car they were driving and the dexterity of his driver.
“We were driving between Isiala Mbano and Ehime Mbano. These people blocked us at a place called Umualumaku.
“They attacked us from behind and were firing at our vehicles consistently. I thought I was a dead man and I was with two of my children – my son and daughter.
“What saved me was the bulletproof vehicle. That I am alive today is by the special grace of God and the bulletproof vehicle. But unfortunately for me they killed four of our boys, including the driver. Yes, we lost four of the boys and I am devastated. How can that be? What crime did they commit?”
Ohakim said after his driver escaped from the scene, the assailants pursued his vehicle and kept shooting.
“They pursued us and continued firing at our tyres. Luckily, the vehicle has what is called run-flat tyres on which you can continue driving even after a puncture. So, even when they shot at the tyres hoping to immobilise us, the vehicle continued moving. If they were ordinary tyres and the vehicle had stopped, they would cornered and finished us.
“But the tyres held on until we got back home. We drove for about 20 minutes before we got home. That was the saving grace.”
“The driver who manifested tremendous level of driving skill kept manoeuvring until he lost them at a junction when he went right and not knowing where we had gone, they headed the other direction on the road to Umuahia.
“We then turned and went back to my house. We were there when Imo Government House sent reinforcement from Owerri who brought the corpses of my security people.
