October 03, (THEWILL) – Ahead of the Anambra State Governorship Election scheduled to hold on November 6, 2021, offices of political parties and their respective campaign directorates in Awka and other major towns are now deserted as unknown gunmen invaded parts of the state last week.
Residents reportedly pulled down posters of political parties and campaign billboard of the contending candidates to avoid incurring the wrath of the invaders.
The development came on the heels of reports that unknown gunmen attacked some communities and in the state, including Agulu, Nnewi, Nnobi, Nkpo, Ajali, Oko and Ezinifite, among others, killing some people and destroying valuable property and burning down police stations.
It was learnt that the gunmen had in the course of their operations last week set fire to a campaign vehicle belonging to the Labour Party in Oko, after shooting the driver in both legs.
That same week, they went to other towns to carry out similar attacks. So far, no group has claimed responsibility for the violence that rocked Anambra in the past one week.
Checks madé in Awka and feelers from Onitsha, Nnewi, Nnokwa, Ihiala and Ekwulobia, as well as various communities, also point to the fact that most scheduled campaign programs of PDP, APC, APGA, Labour Party, ADC, Zenith Labour Party and other less fancied parties designed for open places were reportedly put in abeyance due to the threats from the gunmen.
It was also gathered that the governorship candidates of all the parties participating in the election have been advised to avoid public outing for now.
Already, the Commissioner of Police, Tony Olofu and Governor Willie Obiano, as well as the Independent National Electoral Commission have reacted to the sudden upsurge in the activities of unidentified gunmen in Anambra.
In an advisory statement, which he issued through the spokesman of the Anambra State Police Command, Olofu called on political parties to make available to the Command details of their campaign activíties and outings for the purpose of providing adequate security during those anticipated events.
In his reaction, Governor Obiano condemned the unprovoked attacks in their entirety while announcing a reward of N20 million for anybody who could volunteer useful information on the hideout and identity of the gunmen.
The INEC had, on their part, requested the deployment of about 24,000 security personnel to ensure a hitch-free election on November 6.
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