Doctor raises the alarm over failed assassination attempt

A medical doctor at the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital, Enugu State, Egbe Camillus, has raised the alarm over a failed assassination attempt on his life, calling on the police to probe the incident.

Egbe, on Tuesday, said but for the timely intervention and vigilance of officials of the Enugu State Neighbourhood Watch, Ugboezeji Abakpa-Nike unit, who quickly apprehended the suspect, he wouldn’t know whether he would have been alive, a Sahara Reporters’ report says.

Narrating his ordeal, Egbe, who is a Registrar in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology of UNTH, said, “On December 19, 2022, at about 12 midnight, I saw a young man sitting inside the uncompleted building in front of Treluck Hospital and I alerted the Ugboezeji Abakpa-Nike neighbourhood security men that came and arrested the suspect, a young man.

“However, during interrogation, the suspect confessed that he was paid to assassinate me by a man and a woman living in Port-Harcourt, Rivers State.”

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“There is electronic voice record as evidence,” Egbe added.

According to Sahara Reporters, Egbe said the security men alerted the Abakpa Police Division, who came and took the suspect to their station. “Again at Abakpa Police Division, the suspect confessed that he was paid to assassinate me,” he added.

Egbe said he petitioned the state Commissioner of Police through his lawyer because the suspect refused to mention the names of those who sent him (the suspect).

The CP then instructed the Abakpa Division Police to transfer the suspect to the Enugu State Criminal Investigation Department for further investigation, Sahara Reporters cited Egbe as saying.

“Consequently, the suspect was transferred to the State CID. However, no arrests have been made till date,” Egbe noted.

However, Egbe, in the petition to the police through his lawyer titled: “A Case Of Attempted Assassination, Dehumanisation Of Person & Attempt To Truncate Justice – An Urgent Call For Intervention In Re; Dr. Camillus Egbe,” called for thorough investigation and prosecution of those behind the plot.

In the petition dated December 25, 2022, and signed by his lawyer, C.D Ezeh Esq., Egbe called for an investigation into the incident.

The petition partly read: “The above subject matter refers. We are Counsel briefed by Dr. Camillus Egbe, (a member of Nigerian Medical Association Enugu State Branch). We shall later and for the purpose of this correspondence refer to him as our client on whose behest we write as instructed.

“Sir, our client was a victim of attempted assassination and dehumanisation of human person orchestrated by some known persons behind the veil using the instrumentality of a nefarious and notorious criminal who was timeously arrested by men of Abakpa/Ugboezeji vigilante Group at the scene of crime and handed over to Abakpa Police Division for critical investigation.

“We were briefed that men of the Abakpa Police Division indeed swung into action as expected and investigation activities so far revealed that the suspect was an assassin hired to maim our client at the instance of the persons behind the veil for a fee.

“However, we were told that our client’s ordeal and fear will not be assuaged unless the hoodlum confesses as to the persons behind the veil that hired him for this sinister motive and this can only be achieved if the investigation activities are tackled further by a tactical squad/formation of the Police Force.

“Our client has done everything humanly possible to have this investigation moved to a tactical squad specially trained for this sort of criminality but to no avail; hence, the suspected hirers have continued to boast and swank in an effort to sit on justice.

“As unabashed as it was, the suspect now in police net have continued to brash with facts in an unbridled effort to cover his accomplices while hoping that they will do more to have him released. Indeed, this ugly and despicable incident has kept our client on his toes aside sleeping with one eyes closed.

“Sir, we were further briefed that after the attack, our client has persistently suffered perennial panic disorder and psychosomatic trauma which has kept him under routine counselling. You can imagine how traumatic it could be knowing full well that some attackers/murderers are on the payroll of some desperate individuals to annihilate your life.

“Please sir, kindly ensure that justice is not just done but is seen to have been done. Criminal elements and scoundrels must not be allowed to have their way through unwarranted and unscrupulous vicissitudes.

“Consequently, we respectfully urge you to do the needful by ensuring that the logical investigation of accomplices and subsequent prosecution of this case commence to logical conclusion so as to ensure that justice is done and equally to serve as deterrence to other cronies awaiting to see the outcome of this matter. Our client in this case seems to be gullible and susceptible and that accounts for the reason why we seek your assistance.”