Barely three days to the conduct of the Governorship and House of Assembly elections, the All Progressives Congress (APC) House of Assembly candidate for Onitsha 1 State Constituency, Afam Emejulu, was on Tuesday attacked by some suspected armed political thugs at the Egerton area of Onitsha, Anambra State.

It was gathered that the attackers, who laid ambush for the APC candidate, attacked him when he came out of his house in the early hours of the day.

According to family sources, on getting hold of Emejulu, the suspected thugs numbering about 10 pounced on him, hitting him with hammer even as some others clubbed and stamped on him as he lay face down.

The source said that one of Emejulu’s aides who rushed to rescue him had his three toes chopped off with a machete.

Confirming the incident to reporters, the elder brother to the victim, Raphael Emejulu, said he was not around when the incident happened, adding that he made his way home immediately he received the news of the attack.

He said: “On my way back, I saw the Police Patrol team who I asked to accompany me and the team obliged.

“On arrival to the scene, my brother was already unconscious with blood gushing out of his nose and mouth.

“The thugs were seen running away and shooting sporadically and we prsued them and got two arrested while some others ran into Onitsha Central Police (CPS) barracks from where they escaped as police exchanged gunshots with them.”

The senior Emejulu said his brother and the boy whose toes were cut have been taken to the hospital.

When contacted, the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) for CPS, Onitsha, SP Ifeanyi Iburu, said that nobody had reported such a matter to him. He said that as the DPO of the Division, he would have heard the development if it actually happened.

But Emejulu’s brother said he did not only report the incident at CPS, but also made a statement there and police medical report form issued to him.

He noted that the attack may not be far from jealousy and envy saying that the campaign team of his brother had the previous day mobilised over 3,000 supporters for a roadshow where they displayed their capacity.

“It appeared their political opponents were uncomfortable but power belongs to God, not man,” he added.