Gunmen attacked the convoy of the Nigeria Democratic Congress candidate for the Ezza South State Constituency in Ebonyi, Rollins Offia Nwali, on Thursday, setting his vehicle ablaze and leaving at least one person dead, police say.
The Ebonyi State Police Command put the toll at one death and three injuries, while other reports citing security sources said two people were killed and five injured.
What happened to the Ebonyi NDC candidate
Police spokesman Joshua Ukandu said officers got a distress call about a disturbance in Amaezekwe community in Ezza South Local Government Area at about 4 p.m. and found four people with gunshot wounds and a burnt vehicle. One of them was confirmed dead at the hospital, and three others are receiving treatment, he said Friday.
The police account did not say who the dead and wounded were, or whether any were attackers.
Nwali said in a statement that suspected political thugs attacked his motorcade and burnt his Toyota Hilux. He said he and his team escaped unhurt and thanked security agencies for their professionalism.
He expressed sympathy for those affected and urged young people not to let politicians use them. “No political ambition is worth the life of any young person,” he said, adding that the attack would not stop him from serving his constituency.
Conflicting accounts of the casualties
Tribune and other outlets citing security sources said the attackers carried assault rifles and pump action guns, and that security operatives attached to Nwali first moved him and his team to safety, then fought back. They said one suspected attacker was killed at the scene and another died later in the hospital.
The Sun said the identities of the dead and their political affiliations could not be independently verified, and that it could not reach the police for comment. SaharaReporters cited sources who linked the attackers to the ruling All Progressives Congress, a claim that has not been verified.
Tension ahead of the vote
Ezza South Local Government Chairman Chinedu Mkpuma announced after the attack that political gatherings in the area will need prior approval from his office, citing security concerns and the need to protect lives and property.
The NDC has accused the ruling APC of a campaign of intimidation in the South East. On Oct. 10, suspected thugs reportedly attacked NDC supporters at the Akanu Ibiam International Airport in Enugu as they gathered to welcome the party’s governorship candidate, Christian Ohaa.
The APC was not quoted in the reports.
Election violence is a crime under Nigerian law, and INEC and the police often urge parties to restrain supporters. The election is set for Jan. 16, 2027, less than three months away.
Requiring approval for political gatherings can also limit campaigning, so parties will want to know whether the rule applies equally to all.
The facts of this attack are still unsettled. The police count is one dead, other accounts say two, and reports name no suspect. Until investigators release findings, the death toll and the attackers’ identities remain open questions.
