“It was a clear attempt to assassinate me,” – Former Governor Ikedi Ohakim says

The former Governor of Imo State, Ikedi Ohakim, has spoken on the recent attack on his convoy in the state.

Ohakim and two of his children narrowly escaped death in the incident which happened on 2 January in Oriagu, a community in Ehime Mbano Local Government Area of the state.

The former governor in a statement on Saturday said what happened was an attempt to assassinate him.

“The story has been told and retold and though some versions were not altogether accurate, the important thing is that I survived what was a clear attempt to assassinate me,” Ohakim said in the statement.

The former governor expressed gratitude to several Nigerians including political and religious leaders from across the country whom he said sent messages and made calls of empathy and solidarity to him over the incident.

Ohakim said his heart still bleeds over the death of the four police officers during the attack, adding that it is impossible to express “the pain and hurt” inside of him.

“While we cannot thank God enough for this miracle, I must confess that we are yet to come to terms with the death of the four gallant security officers who lost their lives while trying to save mine.

“These were young men at the prime of their youth and career and for whom the future held quite a lot. The circumstances of their death are yet another very sad commentary on our collective existence as a people, but as a person and as a family, it is a personal loss,” he said.

The former governor said his family would do “everything humanly possible” to ensure that the families of the officers “do not suffer hardship.”

He urged security agencies to unravel the “mystery” behind the attack and also “ultimately find a lasting solution to what now seems like an intractable national problem.”

“I am encouraged, however, by the fact that security agents in Imo State in particular have posted a few impressive performances in the recent past and I believe that together with the proven determination of the state governor in dealing with the matter of insecurity, it is only a matter of time for those behind that dastardly act to be fished,” Mr Ohakim stated.

He commended Nigerians for expressing their “angst over the scourge of insecurity” in the country.