A former Permanent Secretary in Ebonyi State and a member of the State Independent Electoral Commission, Chief Boniface Mgebu, was attacked and injured on his way from Abakaliki to his village, Noyo Alike, in Ikwo LGA of Ebonyi State.

 

It was gathered that the attack happened along Obubura-Enyida road in Abakaliki LGA at about 7 pm on May 6, where his Hilux Jeep, cash, phones and other valuables were set ablaze.

The victim, Chief Mgebu, who spoke at his hospital bed at Alex Ekwueme Federal Teaching Hospital, (AE-FUNAI), Abakaliki, said he was attacked by two armed men who wanted to either forcefully snatch his vehicle from him or kidnap him.

 

He said: “On my way from Abakaliki to my village, immediately I passed the junction before Polycarp Market in Izzi. I saw something like a mini roadblock. I slowed down towards the road. The next thing I saw was a young man who immediately and forcefully stepped into my driver’s side, struggling with the steering wheel with me.

“In the process, the second person opened the passenger door and entered with a gun, leaving me at the centre. I held the hand of the one who showed me the pistol. The other one was struggling to control the car’s steering and moving very fast to an unknown place.

“From the movement of the car, it was as if they noticed that some people had discovered that something was wrong. They now increased the speed of the car, and I was still struggling with the second person.

“The next thing I knew was that the car jumped into a ditch, and immediately, fire exploded. I don’t know if they ignited the fire or the car fuel ignited the fire. But how I survived and was brought to the hospital was a miracle.

“I have made entry at the Police Station in Abakaliki. Am also reaching out to my people, and calling on the State Governor to come to my aide in areas of my hospital bill and replacement of my car that was burnt to ashes with my vital properties inside the car that were also consumed by the fire.”