A family building belonging to a chieftain of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Thomas Isaiah, has been set ablaze by unidentified armed men in Aluu community, Ikwerre Local Government Area of Rivers.

Isaiah, who alleged that the attack was politically motivated, confirmed to Nigerian Tribune that the assailants were sponsored by an opposition political party bent on frustrating the ADC’s activities in Ikwerre Local Government Area.

He said the incident occurred hours after he held a youth sensitisation meeting at his compound, which ended peacefully around noon.

According to him, he received a warning call from an anonymous person last night, advising him to take cover.

Isaiah said he subsequently left his residence to stay with a friend, where he slept off, only to wake up after 2:00 am to discover about 19 missed calls on his phone.

He said when he returned the calls, he was informed that armed men had invaded his compound and set the building ablaze. “Yesterday, I had a brief youth sensitisation meeting in my compound in Aluu. The meeting was peaceful. The meeting started about 9 am, and by 12 noon, we were done. Every youth went back to their houses. It was just a youth sensitisation meeting.

“After that meeting, late at night around 12 am, I got a call from an anonymous Good Samaritan who advised that I take cover and be careful of my movements at night. So I said no problem. Since this is a security issue, I had to leave my house to stay with my friend.

“While I was with my friend, I fell asleep. When I woke up, it was past two. When I checked my phone, I got about 19 missed calls. When I returned the call, I learnt that there were armed men in my compound and they burnt my house down. They set it ablaze.

“This was the situation I met this morning. I came to monitor it and to be sure that the information was correct. On getting here, I confirmed that my house has truly been burnt. My tenant apartments have been burnt. My certificates and all my documents have been burnt.

“My mother was beaten, my grandmother was beaten. Everyone in my compound was tortured.” (Nigerian Tribune)

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