The Provost of the Federal College of Education Technical (Isu) Ebonyi State Professor Reuben Okechukwu, on thursday escaped death by whiskers when Gunmen suspected to be kidnappers ambushed his convoy .
It was gathered that the incident occured near the boundary of Isu/Onicha Local Government Area and Agba in Ishielu Council Area of the State.
Our Reporter gathered that Prof. Okechukwu was in a Mercedes Jeep with registration number: Abuja 371 TS, leading a Convoy of about five Vehicles from his office at the temporary site of the college in Isu , back to Abakaliki, the state capital after close of work in the evening.
Accompanying the Provost in the car was the College Librarian, Mr. Lawal Shuaibu, a Police Orderly, two Aides to the provost and the Driver.
According to an eye witness who prefered anonymity, the incident occurred as the motorcade of the Provost were slopping on the Agba bridge where sand sacks were used to block the road.
The eye witness disclosed that a young unarmed man sprang out, waving down the car, while suddenly a group of armed gunmen trooped out from nearby bush and targetted the car.
He opined, ‘As the driver attempted to reverse back, they open fire on the Provost’s car and the car was swerved into the bush.
“The first gun shot hit the Librarian, Mr. Shuabu at back of his neck while the second wounded the driver on the forehead”
“While inside the bush, the occupants of the car opened the doors and ran for their lives as another bullet hit Mr. shuabu again at shoulder back and he fall down crawling away”
“The driver who sought a track road met another group who mobbed him with stones and sticks till sudden arrival of team of police men from Isu division of Nigerian Police who rescued and took him to hospital at Isu”
The eye witness revealed that the second vehicle was a Tundra van Conveying TETFUND Consultants from Abuja who came to oversee bid opening in the College reverse immediately back to Isu Police Division to alert the police who swift into action and disorganized the assailants.
Before the arrival of Police team from Isu and subsequent arrival of the team from the State Command, Abakaliki, the hoodlums had already looted and burnt down the Mercedes Jeep.
Investigations revealed that the police teams combed the bushes and rescued the provost, the librarian and the police orderly while the other two Aides to the provost escaped through the river to Agba Community from where they were assisted back to Abakaliki.
