Key Points
- Gunmen ambush a three-man advance team near Sam Mbakwe. They open fire in the early hours of Tuesday.
- Abia government says the attack did not hit Otti. Officials stress that his main convoy was not on road.
- No death is recorded, but the case shocks aides. Police launch checks as trips between both states remain tense.
An advance team from the Office of Abia State Governor Alex Otti was attacked by gunmen near the Sam Mbakwe Airport road in Imo State in the early hours of Tuesday, December 2.
The three-man team was travelling ahead of the governor’s planned movement when the ambush happened between Umuowa and Ihite junction.
According to a statement from the Abia State Government, the officials were on routine duty at Sam Mbakwe Airport when yet-to-be-identified gunmen opened fire on their vehicle.
The team was heading towards the airport area when they came under attack close to the junction that leads to the terminal. The same statement noted that the aides had been part of wider trips linked to Otti’s recent plan to secure Nnamdi Kanu and other engagements outside Abia.
Government clarifies Otti’s convoy was not hit
The Abia government moved fast to clear rising fears that the governor’s convoy had been caught in the crossfire.
Officials stressed that Otti himself was not on the road at the time of the attack. They added that his regular convoy did not travel through that stretch on Tuesday morning.
In the statement, the government explained that the three officials were only an advance team working from the Government House in Umuahia.
Their job was to handle flight and ground plans before the governor’s trips. They were returning towards the airport axis when the gunmen struck near the Ihite junction.
The statement read in part that an “advance team of three members from the Office of the Executive Governor of Abia State” was attacked by “unidentified gunmen” close to the airport turnoff.
It added that the gunmen shot at the vehicle and then fled the area. The team later reached safety and alerted their bosses in Umuahia.
No life lost as police move in
Government officials confirmed that no life was lost in the attack. They did not give full details of injuries or damage but said all three team members survived.
The state thanked God for what it called a “narrow escape” and said more details would follow after full checks.
Security agents in Imo and Abia have been told to step up watch along the route that links both states. Local police units are expected to trace how the gunmen reached the airport road and the path they used to escape. The Abia government also urged road users to stay calm while police carry out their work.
The attack comes at a time when many Nigerians worry about safety on key roads between states. Recent public figures have spoken about rising cases of gun attacks and robberies on major routes.
Just weeks ago, a separate ValidUpdates report detailed how singer Olamide spoke against violent attacks and begged for unity in his message on rising bloodshed.
Call for better safety on interstate routes
Following the airport road ambush, some residents of both Abia and Imo have renewed calls for tighter patrols along shared borders.
They want more marked patrol vehicles on duty at night and at dawn, when many of these attacks are said to happen. Travel groups have also told drivers to share their routes with family or bosses before they set out.
The Abia government promised to keep the public updated as police gather more facts. It said the safety of staff and every traveller from the state remains a top concern.
For now, officials insist that Governor Otti is safe and still focused on his work while security teams handle this new case.
