Pastor Usani Uguru, a former Niger Delta Affairs Minister has slightly escaped an assassination attempt in Calabar.
The incident happened today, Friday at his residence in State Housing Estate Calabar, the Cross River State capital while the former Minister was driving to catch his flight to Abuja.
The assailants, armed with short guns concealed in an envelope and numbering about 7, had positioned themselves in strategic locations around the street leading to the premises of Pastor Usani’s home, The Parchment reports.
Pastor Usani confirmed the incident over the phone to this reporter, he said his driver was quick to outsmart the assailants.
“We were able to outsmart them by the grace of God and quickly drove away before they could carry out their plan. I give God all the thanks,” he said.
An aide of the former Minister, Mr. Ofem Bassey also narrated the ugly experience. According to him, “a group of about seven young guys, positioned themselves in a manner, nobody ever suspected anything. A vehicle was parked outside the former APC State Secretariat by Marian Road, Calabar, with two guys standing close by, while another person was inside handling the steering. Two other guys were seen close to the Minister’s gate who were mistaken for some of his supporters as each time he is in Calabar his house is always besieged by his supporters. The other two stood by the entrance of a newly built luxury hotel close to his street.
“What foiled their attempt was that unknown to the assailants, some of the persons by the former Minister’s gate were plain cloth security agents and his security-conscious supporters.
“Immediately the two suspected assailants approached and attempted to pull out a gun, the security men and supporters resisted them and raised an alarm that made the assailants take to their heels immediately.”
The attempt on the former Minister’s life is suspected to be politically motivated, as he is rumored to be nursing a governorship ambition again. This paper could not confirm where the attack could be coming from.
Another aide told our reporter that “This has a political undertone, given his (Usani) charming political disposition and wide support base across the State and the country as a whole.”
This paper also learned that the State Police Command has been briefed.
