A popular High Life musician in Ebonyi State, Kelvin Ibinabo was allegedly brutalized by an Aide to Governor David Umahi in the State, IGBERETV reports.
Speaking to journalists, Ibinabo said that the aide, known as Machiavelli Uzo, who is the Coordinator of Ohaozara Development Centre in Ohaozara Local Government Area of Ebonyi State, attacked him on Saturday, January 22, with his loyalists and locked him up in a dark room.
Narrating his ordeal, the Musician said he was booked by the Ohaozara local government area Chairman, Consider Ajah to perform at the burial event of his mother-in-law in the Local Government last week.
The musician said that when it was dusk, he ordered his crew to pack up and called it a day.
“It was at that point that the Ohaozara Development Centre Coordinator, Machiaveli Uzo emerged from nowhere and ordered me to play a campaign song of Mr Francis Nwifuru, the APC governorship candidate in Ebonyi State.”
Ibinabo said he replied him that it was nightfall and they should be leaving for Abakaliki and that the event he came to perform was not a political event.
But the Coordinator threatened to attack him with his boys, if he didn’t do what he ordered him to do.
Mr Ibinabo at that point had no choice and for the sake of peace picked microphone and started playing the song for him.
After about 20 minutes he dropped the microphone but Mr Uzo again ordered him to pick the microphone again and continue to sing.
But Ibinabo this time refused to sing and instead ordered his crew to pack up so they could leave the scene.
The Coordinator and his thugs descended on Ibinabo beating him with different weapons. After beating him to pulp, they took him into a room in the compound and locked him up.
The Police in Ohaozara later arrived and rescued him from the room and took him to Alex Ekwueme Federal University Teaching Hospital, Abakaliki for treatment.
Mr Ibinabo noted that the Chairman, Consider Ajah was not around when the incident happened as he had left for Abakaliki to attend a meeting. He exonerated the Chairman from the incident adding that the Chairman has been good to him in the past.
“He was not aware of it and if he was aware it won’t have happened. He has been the one taking care of my hospital bills since that Saturday.
“He is always coming to the hospital to check up on me and ensure I get the best treatment. I have known him for a long time and can say it anywhere that he didn’t have anything to do with the attack”, Ibinabo said.
Contacted, the Coordinator, Mr Uzo denied attacking the musician whom he described as his friend. He said he pleaded with the artist to sing a song for him which the artist agreed.
He said the musician asked the DJ to play the song and they all sang and danced along while he sprayed the musician and his band members with some money
“After that, we went inside the house and were making merry but after sometimes he(Ibinabo) said he wants to go outside and check something.
“The next thing I heard was a commotion with some people beating him and chasing him into the house. I was also surprised by the actions of his attackers like others inside”, he said.
Mr Uzo while regretting the ordeal the artist went through, said he is working with security agencies and the Council Chairman to apprehend and prosecute perpetrators.
The Coordinator dismissed insinuations that he was out to tarnish the image of the Council Chairman. He said he has no issues with the Chairman adding that they have a cordial relationship and are working together for the development of the council and state.
Efforts made to reach the Council Chairman, Mr Ajah for comments was abortive, as at the time of this report.
