The Speaker of the Delta State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Victor Ochei, yesterday, at Obomkpa in Aniocha North Local Government Area of Delta State, emerged unhurt after an assassination attempt. However, locally made canon contraptions, which triggered the explosion, critically injured a female aide to one of the Speaker’s associates.
Hon. Ochei
Ochei, on a routine familiarisation
and thank-you tour of his Aniocha North Constituency, had barely finished
exchanging pleasantries with his supporters at the Eke Market square venue,
when a loud explosion and its attendant smoke threw the crowd into pandemonium.
According to an eye-witness, the
Speaker had not taken his seat immediately on arrival, as he was busy
exchanging greetings when the canon, ignited and propelled from the rear on
trajectory to his seat on the front row, was inhibited by chairs which, even
though were shattered, provided some cushioning effect.
It was also gathered that the
explosives were wrapped in white satin materials, which made detection
impossible, as the chairs and tables were also decorated in white materials.
The victim, whose left ankle was
badly injured, was immediately rushed to the Federal Medical Centre,
Asaba, but referred to the Delta State University Teaching Hospital
Oghara for further medical attention. She was said to be in stable
condition just as doctors were battling to avert amputation.
