A 40-year-old woman in Amaezekwe, Ezza South Local Government Area of Ebonyi State, Mrs Blessing Ngwuta, has recounted how she allegedly lost her four-month pregnancy after suspected political thugs invaded her family compound and attacked residents.
The incident, which occurred last Thursday afternoon, also reportedly resulted in the destruction of vehicles, motorcycles, tricycles and other property estimated to be worth millions of naira.
Mrs Ngwuta is the wife of Chief Christopher Ngwuta, a 73-year-old community elder and chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). The attack occurred while PDP leaders were visiting the elder statesman at his residence.
According to the victim, she was in the kitchen preparing food for the visitors when the armed attackers stormed the compound.
She said the assailants were armed with guns, machetes, swords, stones, wooden objects and other weapons.
Speaking after her discharge from the hospital, Mrs Ngwuta said the attackers initially assaulted people within the compound and allegedly took cash, phones, motorcycles and other valuables.
She said some of the vehicles and tricycles that could not be taken away were vandalised.
According to her, the attackers later discovered that she was in the kitchen and turned their attention to her and other women preparing food.
She recounted that one of the attackers struck her from behind, causing her to fall and hit her stomach against the ground.
Mrs Ngwuta said another attacker subsequently pointed a gun at her head and threatened to use her as an example to others.
“I was cooking food for my husband’s visitors inside our compound. The visitors were coming in and we were opening the gate for them.
“We didn’t know that some armed persons had surrounded our gate. When we opened the gate for more visitors who were knocking on it, a group of people armed with guns, machetes, swords, stones, woods and other dangerous weapons forcefully opened the gate wide and invaded our compound.”
She said she was repeatedly beaten before the attackers left the compound.
“I was immediately rushed to the hospital by my husband because I was bleeding. Because of the attack, I lost my four months pregnancy and I was just discharged from the hospital this Sunday.”
Mrs Ngwuta stressed that she had no involvement in politics or membership of any political party.
“I am not a politician, I don’t know anything about politics and I don’t belong to any political party. I don’t know my offence,” she said.
She appealed to security agencies to identify and prosecute those responsible for the attack.
Chief Christopher Ngwuta expressed outrage over the attack, saying he was particularly saddened that people from his community allegedly targeted his home and family.
The PDP chieftain said his political affiliation should not make him a target of violence.
He maintained that he had the constitutional right to belong to any political party of his choice and vowed that the alleged intimidation would not make him abandon the PDP.
Ngwuta also questioned why political activities involving candidates from different parties were reportedly taking place peacefully in other parts of Ebonyi State while his community had experienced attacks.
He declared that he would continue supporting the PDP and canvassing votes for its governorship candidate, Chief Ifeanyi Odii.
The incident at Ngwuta’s residence is reportedly the second political attack recorded in Ezza South Local Government Area within one week.
On August 1, 10 PDP members in Ikwuator Idembia were allegedly attacked during a political rally organised by Ifeanyi Nworie, who was formally defecting to the party.
The event was initially planned for a roadside village square but was reportedly disrupted after alleged attackers stormed the venue.
Nworie subsequently moved the gathering to his private residence, but the attackers allegedly followed participants there and inflicted serious injuries on some attendees.
Members of the Correspondents’ Chapel of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) in Ebonyi State were also reportedly caught up in the incident. The journalists alleged that attackers attempted to set their branded operational vehicles ablaze while they were inside.
The Ebonyi State chapter of the PDP accused the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) of being responsible for attacks allegedly targeting its members and supporters.
The PDP state chairman, Chukwuma Igwe, said the party had recorded increasing threats against its members and described the alleged incidents as attempts to undermine democratic participation ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The party called on security agencies to protect residents and ensure that citizens could freely participate in political activities.
The PDP also urged its members to remain peaceful and law-abiding, while calling on the Ebonyi State Government to uphold democratic principles.
The APC chairman in Ebonyi State, Chief Stanley Okoro Emegha, denied allegations linking the party to the violence.
Emegha said the APC leadership was guided by the position of the state governor against political violence and urged party members to avoid acts capable of escalating tensions.
He maintained that the APC was not involved in the reported attacks.
The latest incident has heightened concerns over political violence in Ebonyi State as political activities intensify ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Authorities have yet to publicly announce arrests or confirm the identities of those responsible for the alleged attack.
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