ENUGU STATE GOVERNMENT DENIES INVOLVEMENT IN NDC AIRPORT CONFRONTATION AND SECRETARIAT SHOOTING

The Enugu State Government, through the Secretary to the State Government, SSG, Professor Chidiebere Onyia, has addressed the incidents involving the Nigeria Democratic Congress, NDC at the Akanu Ibiam International Airport and the party’s state secretariat in Enugu on Saturday, October 10.

Speaking during a press conference yesterday at the Government House, Enugu, Onyia denied any involvement of the government or the Governor’s Chief Security Officer, Ifeanyi Osondu, in both incidents, describing the airport confrontation as a case between the NDC and federal authorities, while noting that the shooting incident at the party’s secretariat was under police investigation.

He said the government’s preliminary findings revealed that the airport incident followed the NDC’s attempt to hold what he referred to as a “Grand Statewide Campaign Flag-off 2026” at the facility without securing the necessary approval from the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, FAAN.

The SSG disclosed that the police had advised the party to obtain FAAN’s approval before security personnel could be deployed to the airport for the event, but the party reportedly proceeded to mobilise its members to the airport and attempted to gain entry into the facility, resulting in a confrontation with airport authorities in which security agencies intervened and restored order around the airport.

Speaking on the shooting incident at the NDC state Secretariat, GRA, Enugu, Professor Onyia said security reports had established that a violent clash occurred at the party’s office adding that the police were investigating the matter and further disputed reports alleging fatalities, stating that the government’s findings showed that no death had occurred in the incident.