Suspected thugs invade APC secretariat, steal valuables

Police are said to have arrested two suspects in connection with the attack.

The APC leadership in the state described the incident as shocking and accused some chieftains of the party of hiring the thugs.

The Abia state chairman of the party, Mr. Donatus Nwamkpa, while addressing journalists, said if not for prompt police intervention, there would have been bloodshed in the state.

He said, "This briefing is arising as a result of the ugly incident of today where one High Chief Ikechi Emenike accompanied by Dr. Emmanuel Ndukwe, and Engr. Okpechi led a group of hoodlums to the party’s secretariats while the leaders of the party were meeting at Wonderland event centre, Aba road, Umuahia.

"This invaders led by one Ikechi Emenike broke into the party office and carted away the valuables of the party, cash and photography of the party leadership.

"As we speak to you now, we cannot see anything, only the picture of the President is here, the picture of the National Chairman and the state chairman have been removed. The secretariats was actually invaded. We are yet to assess the amount of money so far taken out of our purse.

"As I speak to you, it came to the leadership of APC in the state as a shock. And we needed the intervention of the police to drive away the hoodlums from the secretariats. We called the commissioner of police, we thank him for responding promptly and this has saved Abia from bloodshed.

"Let us say it clear that the so called Ikechi Emenike has no input in this Secretariate, and cannot reap what he did not sow. Chief Ikechi Emenike was duly suspended by his ward and remain suspended in the party."

Emenike was not immediately available for comments at the time of filing this report.

Mace theft

This is coming barely three days after some suspected thugs invaded the National Assembly and stole the mace, a symbol of authority of the Senate.

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The incident happened few minutes after a suspended senator, Ovie Omo-Agege, entered the chamber.

Reports said the invaders, about 10 of them, ran out of the chamber with the mace causing pandemonium in the Senate. They left the National Assembly with the mace in a black SUV.

Police has since recovered the mace and arrested five six suspects in connection with the heist.