The former governor who was seen in company of his wife, Chioma, and some former aides expressed gratitude to God that no life was lost in the unfortunate incident, adding that he arrived Owerri in the evening of the day of the incident from abroad where he went for medical checkup and wanted to sleep in the house, but later decided to proceed to his country home in Okohia in Isiala Mbano Local Government Area to pass the night.
Located in Prefab area noted for its quite serenity because of the caliber of people residing there who are mainly retired government officials and a few private residents, the bungalow which was built in 1992 when the former governor served as a commissioner in the state used to be a rallying point for the governor and his close friends.
According to Ohakim, “I was in the village when around 12.30a.m., my security and private aides residing in the affected house called me that there was problem; and that they heard a loud sound because they were staying at the gate house, and when they rushed to the building, they saw that it had been engulfed by tick smoke and fire and they started trying to put off the fire.
“According to them, after calling the fire service, there was no response until this morning around 10a.m. before they came, but before then, the building had been completely destroyed by fire.
Continue after the cut...
“Whatever they used must have been thrown from the ceiling because this is an old house. The whole interior is gone. The only House I have in Owerri is gone; luckily, no life was lost as I arrived here by 6.30a.m.
One clear thing about the incident is that there was no electricity and no generator was on when the incident happened,” he said.
The former governor stated that he does not foresee any foul play but added that the Department of Security Services (DSS) and the police had been invited while investigation is ongoing.”
Ohakim, who said he only, came to address the people of the state last Saturday, noted that during his four year of service in the state, there was relative peace and progress as everybody was free from any form of attack or molestation, and wondered why somebody would want him and his family dead.
Meanwhile, the state government has reacted to the act of setting ablaze the residential building of the former governor of the state by unknown persons which it described as “dastardly and despicable.”
In a statement signed by the Special Assistant to the state Governor, Rochas Okorocha, on media, Sam Onwuemeodo, the state government expressed sadness over the incident which happened barely 40 hours to the reported declaration of Ohakim’s intention to run for the 2015 governorship of the state.
"The state government condemns the act in its entirety. It is an act of cowardice. It is barbaric and unfortunate in all ramifications. The state government has been preaching tolerance and politics without bitterness among Imo politicians, and the governor has also been demonstrating that both in words and in action since he came on board in 2011.
“And that is why, politicians in the state irrespective of their political parties have been coming to the state to say whatever they like or do whatever they want to do, without any interference or disturbance.
“So burning of a former governor’s house for any reason is condemnable and unacceptable. The former governor has not done anything to constitute a threat to anybody since he left office, to warrant anybody or group of persons burning his house.”
He has the right as an illustrious son of Imo state to vie for any position he desires to run for. Anybody who feels threatened by his interest should have the option of quitting the race or dropping his aspiration.
The state government has therefore called on the state Commissioner of Police and other relevant security agents in the state to dig into the incident with the aim of bringing those behind the act to book.
Source: This Day Live.
6 comments:
Serves him right!
Goog
Good
Good for him
Idiot
Idiot
Post a Comment