In what appears to be a targeted assassination attempt, Abia State Commissioner for Lands and Housing, Hon. Chaka Chukwumerije, has survived a horrifying gun attack along the Okigwe–Umuahia Road.
The shocking incident occurred two nights ago as the Commissioner was returning to Umuahia. Gunmen in a trailing vehicle suddenly opened fire on his car, riddling it with bullets. One bullet pierced through the windshield directly in front of the driver’s seat, as shown in exclusive photos obtained by Symfoni.
Miraculously, Chukwumerije and three others in the vehicle, including his brother came out unhurt. The bullet holes and shattered glass tell a chilling story of how close the attack came to ending lives.
Speaking after the incident, the Commissioner’s brother, Dike Chukwumerije, described the assault as an attempted assassination. “We were meant to die that night. This was no accident — it was deliberate, and it was brutal,” he said, calling attention to Chaka’s loyal service in Governor Alex Otti’s reform-driven government.
Governor Alex Otti, who is seen in one of the accompanying images walking side-by-side with Chaka Chukwumerije in earlier moments of duty, has not yet issued a public statement, but sources say security has been intensified around top cabinet members.
The Chukwumerije family has equally thanked God for the Commissioner’s survival and expressed deep concern over rising insecurity in the region. “We remain committed to serving Abia with courage, even in the face of death,” a family statement read.
Security agencies are investigating the attack, which has sparked public outrage and renewed calls for immediate action against highway banditry and politically motivated violence in the state.
