By John Oghojafor
The Senator representing Delta Central Senatorial District at the red chamber of the national assembly, Senator (Barr.) Ovie Omo-Agege has alleged assassination attempt on his life.
He made the allegation on Saturday (July 15, 2017) during the continuation of his ‘Thank You’ visit to Uvwie Local Government Area of Delta State.
It would be recalled that Senator Omo-Agege has commenced the tour of the eight Local Government Areas of Delta Central Senatorial District with his first visit to Ughelli two weeks ago where he disbursed well over N8 million to 400 market women and motorcyclists to boost their businesses.
In continuation of the appreciation tour, the Senator visited Uvwie and Udu Local Government Areas on (Saturday) but The New Diplomat gathered that rather than being welcomed, he and his entourage were allegedly attacked by hoodlums in Ekpan and Effurun markets where he was due to meet with the market women and okada riders.
Narrating the incident to newsmen in his Effurun residence, Senator Omo-Agege alleges that what happened was an assassination attempt on his life, adding that he was only lucky he would have been killed. He said he has reported the incident at the Ekpan Police Station as well as notified the Delta State Commissioner of Police.
Said he: “I don’t know who sent them to assassinate me. But I was lucky because the bullet passed through my right ear, if I was not lucky I would have been dead.”
The Senator alleges that some persons whose names he has given to the Police were responsible, adding that two of them directly shot at him at the Effurun market while he was disbursing envelopes containing cash to beneficiaries of his ‘thank you’ empowerment to market women in the area. He recalled that he had succeeded in giving out envelopes to 100 market women before the hoodlums’ attack, adding that several persons were injured while others were beaten and robbed.
Senator Omo-Agege further alleged that one of his supporters simply named Ojo was almost killed when hoodlums swooped on him in Ekpan market where he and his entourage were scheduled to disbursed about N2 million to petty traders, adding that because of the attack, they had to call it off. According to him, the attacked supporter is currently on admission in a hospital in Ughelli.
“Also, we have one of my supporters who was almost killed at Ekpan market all in the presence of Police Officers who could not even effect any arrest”, he said.
Omo-Agege who disclosed he has reported the attacks to the Police Commissioner, assured that he would ensure he gets to the bottom of the incident and make sure those responsible are made to face the wrath of the law.
“I have taken a first step by filing a report with the Ekpan Police Department; I have equally spoken with the State Commissioner of Police. I will take it to the highest level; all I seek is that these undesirable elements who are out to assassinate people are removed from the system. And I will go to any extent to see to this through. You cannot attempt to kill a sitting Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria”, he said.
The Senator however refused to link the unprovoked attacked in Uvwie Local Government Area to political undertone, adding that even though he was not ruling out such possibility, he refused to accept it was politically motivated.
“I refuse to read any political motivation to this, I refuse to. I’m not in any way saying that there is none. But I refuse to”, he said.
