Abia Agriculture Commissioner Shot In Umuahia

The Abia State Commissioner for Agriculture, Dr. Kenneth Nwosu, is now battling for his life after he was shot and seriously wounded by unknown gunmen Wednesday night.

He was shot along Umuajata/Amakama Road at the outskirts of Umuahia, the state capital, on his way to his country home at Olokoro, Umuahia South Local Government Area.

The state Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Mr. Geoffrey Ogbonna, confirmed the incident to reporters in Abia, saying that Nwosu was attacked at 8.05 pm by the hoodlums.

According to him, the unknown gunmen, who were driving in a Toyota Camry car, had overtaken the victim’s vehicle and immediately opened fire on him.

The PPRO could not however confirm if the incident was an assassination attempt, but noted that from the look of things the gunmen “may have had hidden agenda” as they did not take anything from the victim’s vehicle after shooting him.

He said that the police had launched an investigation to unmask the gunmen and their motives.
Meanwhile, Nwosu is said to be in stable condition after a successful operation at the Abia
State Specialist Hospital and Diagnostic Centre where he was rushed to.

The Chief Medical Director of the hospital, Prof. Augustus Mbanaso, informed reporters that Nwosu was brought into the hospital just as the FIFA World Cup semifinal match between Argentina and The Netherlands had commenced.

“His (Nwosu) intestines were shattered and his blood pressure was very low when they brought him but we managed him till surgery could be carried out,” he said.

Mbanaso said the surgery was successful and the patient was responding to treatment.
Abia State Governor, Chief Theodore Orji, yesterday visited the wounded commissioner in the hospital and sympathised with him.