Fear has gripped top politicians of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Abia State, especially those in government, following the alleged invasion of the residence of the state Commissioner for Works, Chief Eziuche Ubani, by a combined team of personnel from the Department of the State Security (DSS) and the Army.

The said invasion, yesterday morning and is coming five days after the Court of Appeal sitting in Owerri had upturned the victory of Dr Okezie Ikpeazu and declared the candidate of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Dr Alex Otti, winner of the 2015 governorship election in Abia, has heightened tension in the state. Series of protests have rocked Abia since the Appeal Court verdict.

Narrating his ordeal, Ubani, a two-time member of the House of Representatives, told newsmen at his Ovom residence in Obingwa Local Government Area that a team of men of the DSS and the Nigerian Army invaded his residence at about 2am yesterday.

He said the team, which came in six Hilux vans, broke his gate and gained entry into his house by scaling the fence and held him hostage for four hours.

The commissioner disclosed that the team was led by Stephen Agu of the DSS, Abuja. He said the invaders claimed that they had a report from the opposition APGA that he was stockpiling arms and training militants to assassinate APGA leaders.

Ubani spoke of how the team thoroughly ransacked his house, including the water tank, broke his ward robe, climbed the ceiling to satisfy their curiosity that arms were not hidden there and inflicted injuries on his driver, who was at the Boys’ Quarters.

The commissioner disclosed that after turning his house upside-down, the unwanted visitors wrote on a piece of paper that they found nothing incriminating in the house and duly signed same before departing.

Bewildered by his experience, Ubani expressed fears that if state institutions could be used to harass innocent Nigerians, there is no hope for the ordinary man.

•Photo shows Abia Works Commissioner, Chief Eziuche Ubani.

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