By Eseoghene Emuke
A building belonging to the father of a former traditional prime minister (Unuewvodo) of Ekpan in Uvwie Local Government Area of Delta State, Chief Newton Agbofodoh, has been sets ablaze over the killing of Lawrence Ngozi Ijie Akpomiemie.
It was learnt that the building which is located along Newton close off Refinery Road was burnt down by arsonists believed to be loyal to the late Akpomiemie.
Akpomiemie, who is popularly known as Ngozi, was shot dead by unknown gunmen on Friday night while returning from an outing with his girlfriend in Ekpan in the eve of the postponed Presidential and National Assembly elections.
Ngozi until his death was a Special Assistant to Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta State on Youth Development. He was alleged to be one of the principal actors in the political and traditional crisis in Ekpan.
On the other hand, Newton has been sentenced to life imprisonment by a Delta State High Court and now serving his jail terms.
Sources told WARRI TODAY that the arsonists burnt the house on Saturday, destroying property estimated to worth several millions of naira amid sporadic shooting.
It was learnt that the youths have attacked the building over allegation that the former traditional prime minister and his cousin who is a former Uvwie Council Chairman had hand in Ngozi’s killing.
It was gathered that residents of the building only managed to escape but their properties were completely destroyed in the inferno.
Another source told our correspondent that the attack was a reprisal attack on the death of the governor’s aide.
The hoodlums set the house ablaze were said to be over 15 in numbers. “They had shot into the building repeatedly before pouring fuel round the building and set it ablaze”, the witness added.
Meanwhile, checks by this medium on Sunday revealed that the once busy Ekpan Town is still being deserted by residents in spite of the presence of security operatives over fear of reprisal attack to avenge the killing of Ngozi.
It was observed that shops and markets were completely shut in the area.
