Abia State Governor Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu has assured that the state government will take the responsibility of offsetting medical bills of victims of yesterday’s robbery attack at Bank Road Umuahia.
Governor Ikpeazu gave the assurance, at the Federal Medical Center(FMC) Umuahia, when he visited one of the victims,Miss Chimuanya Nwokocha, who sustained bullet wounds during the robbery attack.
Recall that the victim,Miss Nwokochs alongside one other person and a police officer sustained various degrees of injury when a three man robbery gang which specialised in trailing bank customers, Thursday engaged security operatives on patrol in a gun duel.
Governor Ikpeazu who was represented by the Secretary to the state Government, Barr Chris Ezem expressed happiness that no life was lost during the ugly incident noting that Miss Nwokocha is responding to treatment having undergone a major surgery while another victim has been discharged.
He said: “The essence of the visit to the hospital was because of a sad incident that is in public domain which took place yesterday along bank road where our security men were in a hot pursuit of a criminal gang who has constantly robbed citizens of Abia who have gone to do their lawful businesses in Banks.
“Our security agents were after these gangs unfortunately the with the hot pursuit the criminals abandoned their vehicle close to the UBA Junction and there was exchange of fire and in the process stray bullets hit one or two citizen carrying out their business along the area.
“We recovered some riffles, and we are still in pursuit of them because some of the gang members escaped with bad injuries.
“That incident left some people carrying out their business around that area wounded, and as responsible Government we can’t fold our hands and say we didn’t know that some people sustained injury yesterday.
“We have come to this hospital, FMC on the instruction of the Governor,Dr Okezie Ikpeazu to see the State of recovery of the people that sustained injury yesterday and from our observation, one of them has been discharged fully on her feet.
“The other one has gone through some surgery and is responding to treatment and we’ve come to convey sympathy of government to her and her family
“Government will equally take steps to support whatever bills she incures here. We are happy to see that she is responding to treatment and there’s no fatality in what happened yesterday”.
Governor Ikpeazu assured Abians that his adminstration will not relent in safeguarding the lives and properties of citizens and those residing in the state adding that security agents have been placed on red alert to nab criminal elements.
“We will continue to be on our feet, we won’t rest. All security agents have been asked to ensure that Abians can go to bed and sleep with their eyes closed”, Ikpeazu said.
Chief of Staff to the Governor,Okey Ahiwe and Representative of the Chief Medical Director of the Federal Medical Centre, Dr Ugochukwu Onyeonolu accompanied the Governor during the visit.
