The Anambra Central Senatorial election drama took a worrisome dimension on Tuesday as unknown gunmen invaded Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, allegedly in search the Returning Officer in the election, Mr. Alex Anene.

Anene had on Monday announced the result of the election he collated and declared the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) candidate, Dr. Chris Ngige winner of the election, against an earlier announcement by one Prof Charles Esimole whom, the Resident Electoral Commissioner, Prof. Chukwuemeka Onukaogu introduced as the new Returning Officer, that the election was inconclusive.

The gunmen numbering two, Daily Sun stormed the university at about 11am Tuesday claiming to be men of the State Security Service (SSS). Without the permission of the school authorities, the gunmen ransacked various offices in search of Anene. The action of the gunmen caused tension in the university as people became apprehensive of the mission of the fearful looking men.

Reacting to the development yesterday, the university’s Director, Information and Communications, Mr. Emma Ojukwu said the university is an institution with its own authority and must not be invaded by any security operatives without the permission of the authorities.

He said, “What we are saying is that if security agents want to carry out any operation in the university, they must contact the Vice Chancellor who will direct the Chief Security Officer to cooperate with them. “But in this case nothing like that happened which is capable of causing breach of peace in the university, and we say no to that”.

Meanwhile, the State Director of SSS, Mr. Joshua Yakubu has said that he did not believe that the said gunmen that invaded the university were his men.

http://www.sunnewsonline.com/webpages/news/national/2011/apr/15/national-15-04-2011-016.htm