The candidate who confirmed the arson to our correspondent said that his house and that of his father in Okigwe Local Government Area of the state were razed by the gunmen.
The distraught politician said, “My house and that of my father at Umuokparaoha village in Umulolo community in the Okigwe Local Government Area of Imo State were razed on Tuesday.
“They struck around 2pm, set the houses on fire and supervised the burning. The two houses and the properties got destroyed in the attack. They operated unchallenged. I am distraught. This is unfortunate.
“I call on the commissioner of police to intervene. I am grateful that no life was lost. My aged parents were not around when they struck.”
Our correspondent gathered on arrival, the attackers threw explosives at the houses and the property caught fire immediately.
Okigwe LGA had witnessed a high level of insecurity and criminal activities since 2022, a development that had forced indigenes to flee their homes.
Some gunmen had in February razed the country home of the Labour Party candidate in the same Okigwe LGA for the state house of Assembly, Nnaemeka Obiaraeri.
Also in February, gunmen burnt the house of the state Commissioner for Youth and Sports, Emeka Okoronkwo, in Ihube community in Okigwe LGA.
Also burnt were the houses of a former commissioner for information, Nnamdi Obiaraeri, a retired Director of Department of Security Service, Nnaemeka Ngwu, the director general of the campaign organisation of the Labour Party candidate for Okigwe North Federal Constituency, Okey Unam, all in Ihube community in the Okigwe LGA.
The spokesperson for the police in the state, Henry Okoye, confirmed the incident but said he was awaiting more details
