Suspected Hoodlums Attack Ebonyi Ex-Permanent Secretary, Set His Vehicle Ablaze
The former Permanent Secretary in Ebonyi State and member of the State Independent Electoral Commission (SIEC), Boniface Mgebu, was attacked by suspected hoodlums on Tuesday night.
The thugs injured him while he was on his way from Abakaliki to his village in Ikwo Local Government Area.
The incident occurred around 7 pm along the Obubura-Enyida road in Abakaliki Local Government Area. The assailants, in a brazen move, set ablaze Mgebu’s Hilux Jeep, along with his cash, phones, and other valuables.
Speaking from his hospital bed at Alex Ekwueme Federal Teaching Hospital (AE-FUNAI) in Abakaliki, Mgebu recounted the harrowing experience.
He explained that the attack was carried out by two armed men who had the intention to either steal his vehicle or abduct him.
Mgebu, narrating the incident,t 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.”
