By PAMELA EBOH, Awka

The Chairman of Umueri community in Ogbunike, Oyi Local Government Area of Anambra State, Hon Lovi Elobisi, has called on the state government and the Nigerian Police to investigate a failed assassination attempt on his life.

The attempt which took place along the popular St. Monica’s Road Ogbunike, on January 10, 2026 was said to have emanated from a result of a vote of no confidence passed on Hon Elobisi and his executive by another faction following his alleged refusal to share the money generated from the sale of the village’s land.

Hence, the attack degenerated from a face-to-face confrontation to the destruction of many buildings worth millions of naira and the destruction of one of his cars riddled with bullets.

Speaking to journalists shortly after a seven hours on-the-spot assessment tour with the Nigerian Police and the media, the chairman lamented that the attack came after several threats.

He appealed to the state Gov. Chukwuma Soludo to urgently intervene to save his life, family members, his executive members and the village as a whole.

According to him, the development has thrown the local dwellers into deep confusion, frustration and sleepless night since it started.

He added: “I am the only son of my family, I was unanimously elected to chair the village and to change the 17 years old bad leadership of the past administration headed by one Mr Ameachi Ikegbunam.

“I was elected alongside my executive on July 14, 2024 to serve for a good period of four years and within one year and six months I was able to build a historic 120 capacity civic centre with modern furniture including double flats, borehole, restaurant/bar, recreation centre, solar panels and inverters for 24 hours electricity supply, among other amenities.

“My administration has also provided a stable electricity supply from the Enugu Electricity Distribution Company (EEDC) and pipe-borne water for the entire village within the period under review.

“On the 30th December 2025, a vote of no confidence was passed on me and my executive for refusing to accept the evil agenda of sharing the money we generated from the sales of the village land. The entire drama is orchestrated by the past executive.”

While noting that the past executive led the village for 17 years without a single achievement, he stressed that their only achievement is buying cartons of beer and sharing among leaders of the nine quarters that constitute the Umureri village.

Ilobisi added: “The matter of vote of no confidence passed upon me and my executive is currently ongoing at the Onitsha High Court and I strongly believe by the grace of Almighty God, it will be in my favour. I want justice from the government.

“As I speak to you press men, the entire members of my executive have been forcefully chased away from the village to an unknown destination living their loved ones In hunger, pains and agony.

“I am very happy that police and media people are here to see things for themselves and to let the Anambra State Government, the South East leaders and the public at large to know what my people are currently going through in the hands of this heartless people living with us in Umueri village, Ogbunike in Oyi local government area of Anambra State.”

He however appealed to Governor Soludo to urgently intervene in the matter, saying that the matter was reported to the police for proper investigation and possible persecution of the culprits.

Meanwhile, in his reaction, a member of the past executive, Hon Charles Elobisi, who spoke on behalf of others, described the development as mere allegations with no documentation.

According the embattled chairman of the village, Elobisi was unanimously served a vote of no confidence for selling over 150 plots of land without proper account for it.

He said: “The constitution of the village empowers us to remove any leadership that operate against the wishes of the people. We didn’t remove him with our own power, we did that in accordance with the village’s constitution.

“The entire village don’t want him again, he should go and eat alone what he has stolen from the village. The public should disregard the allegations”.

•PHOTO: Embattled Chairman of Umueri community in Ogbunike, Oyi Local Government Area of Anambra State, Hon Lovi Elobisi, stressing a point during the tour

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