Buhari Flays Attack on Ubah as Ngige Wants Criminals Arrested

•President says act condemnable, barbaric

Deji Elumoye and Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja

President Muhammadu Buhari, yesterday, condemned last week’s attack on Senator Ifeanyi Ubah, in Anambra State, which resulted in the killing of some of the senator’s aides, and described it as “barbaric and condemnable.”

In the same breath, the Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige, has urged Ndi-Anambra not to succumb to fear over the attack, even as he charged the security agencies to arrest the criminals.

The President, in a release by his spokesman, Mallam Garba Shehu, expressed deep concern about the activities of armed groups in the South East Zone and in other parts of the country.

“We are closely monitoring the situation and waiting for further details on the response to the worrisome situation by the police, the military and other security agencies. The nation has lost four brave policemen and other aides of the Senator.

“On behalf of the government and the people, I pay homage to these security men and the aides, who were brutally murdered. Our thoughts and prayers are with their families at this difficult time.”

President Buhari prayed for the quick recovery of the Senator and all those that were injured, and also for the early return of peace and security in Anambra State and all other areas.

On his part, Ngige, in a statement by his Media Office, tasked  the security agencies to hunt down and bring the murderous perpetrators to justice, because according to him, the attack was as atrocious, wicked and evil, and a big setback to a relative calm restored to the state in the past few months.

His words: “It is certainly a setback at a time  many had thought  reprieve has come from the dreadful darkness that lately enveloped our dear state. However, we must not allow  that  daylight horror to trip  our determination to the crosshair of another  cycle  of tragedies. Evil must not win.

“I hence charge the security agencies to double efforts to fish out the criminals  as quickly as possible.  Ndi-Anambra must not succumb to fear but rally round  the  government and the security agencies to track the criminals terrorizing our state.

“I send deepest condolences to Senator Ifeanyi Uba over this huge loss. I  thank God Almighty for sparing his life while also praying  for His mercy on the families of his aides and security agents who lost their lives,” he said.