From Muhammad Kutama, Calabar
A peaceful voting process in Orumba South Local Government Area of Anambra State was shattered yesterday when unidentified gunmen shot dead a local councillor at a polling unit during the ongoing governorship election.
The incident occurred around 1:30 p.m. at Owerre Ezukala Ward 1, abruptly ending what had been a calm voting process.
Witnesses told Triumph that the assailants stormed the polling centre and opened fire on the councillor as he attempted to cast his vote, sending voters and election officials fleeing in panic.
Community leaders described the attack as a shocking breach of security on election day. Odogwu Odemenna, a prominent local leader, said tension gripped the area following the killing.
“My ward is in chaos right now,” Odemenna said. “The councillor was shot dead this afternoon while trying to vote. People are furious. Security personnel were present, but the attackers still carried out their mission and escaped.”
He added that soldiers and police officers had been deployed to comb surrounding villages in search of the gunmen. “Today shouldn’t have allowed this kind of lapse. The election was calm until this tragedy occurred,” he said.
Another community leader, who requested anonymity, confirmed that the attack was targeted. “At Ward 1, some armed men drove in, shot him, and left immediately. It was clearly deliberate,” he said.
According to eyewitnesses, the victim has been identified as Nze Ala Kuru Orji, a councillor and chieftain of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA).
Attempts to obtain an official comment from the Anambra State Police Command were unsuccessful, as calls and messages sent to the Command’s spokesperson, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, were not answered.
