The Anambra State Commissioner for Lands, Physical Planning and Rural Development, Mr Bonaventure Enemali, has escaped death at the hands of Naval officer.
It is reported that the att*ck happened, on Sunday evening, when a Naval officer at Awkuzu Junction shot at his car, piercing the back windshield, into the Ford Escape SUV, which the commissioner was driven in.
Why he was shot is not clear but sources said the incident happened as the Commissioner was driven to Awka through the Enugu-Onitsha expressway.
According to Daily Sun, Commissioner Enemali was stopped at a checkpoint by one of the officers, who later allowed him to move on, but as he drove off; his vehicle was shot at by another officer.
The State Police Command’s Public Relations Officer, DSP Toochukwu Ikenga said he was not aware of the attack.
“I am receiving this as information from you. I don’t have any information on this, please”. But Enemali confirmed the attack, saying it was still like a dream to him.
“As I speak, I’m still trying to piece together the details of what happened. It happened just this afternoon,” he said.
It could not be confirmed if Enemali sustained gunshot wounds but the bullet pierced the vehicle’s back windscreen and exited from the front. Enemali who hails from Anambra West Local Government Area of the State, is the founder of Expression 1 Awka.
Reacting to the news, Professor of Governance and Comparative Politics, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Jaja Nwanegbo said: “The young man was just saved by God because the shot was actually meant to kill him.
“The bullet entered through the back, perforated the front passenger seat and went out through the windscreen; time to stop that madness.”
JP Udoba, an indigene of Anambra West LGA, said, “Thank God for saving his life in this clear assassination attempt. Is this really from the Nigeria Navy?”
When contacted, Personal Assistant to Enemali, in the media, Sebastian Okoye, said he was not authorized to speak on the matter yet, but confirmed that the Commissioner was shot.
When DAILY POST called Lt Ajikobi, the Public Relations Officer of the Navy outstation in Anambra, he said he would get back with details. As at the time of filing this report, Ajikobi was yet to get back with details of what happened. But a Navy source, in a telephone call, told Daily Sun that the Commissioner told him about the incident.
“He called me and I apologized to him.
“Though, he said, he was approaching the checkpoint at high speed when they were flagging him to stop. It is wrong to approach a checkpoint on speed, especially when they were attacked by hoodlums last time.
The shot was not actually directed at him. It was a warning shot and I am not sure it touched his vehicles. I have, however, spoken to the officers to be extra careful next time.”
