A singer from Ebonyi State, Kelvin Ibinabo, has been hospitalised after he was allegedly brutalised by an aide to the Governor, David Umahi.
Ibinabo told Punch that Machiavelli Uzo, 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.
He said the attack was carried out after he was booked by the LGA Chairman, Mr Consider Ajah, to perform at the burial of his mother-in-law in the council.
After playing at the event, Ibinabo said he told his crew to pack up since it was already night. He said;
“It was at that point that the Ohaozara Development Centre Coordinator, Machiaveli Uzo, emerged from nowhere and ordered me to play the campaign song of the APC governorship candidate in Ebonyi State.”
Ibinabo said after he declined the request because he was done with his performance and the event he was invited to was not a political event, the coordinator allegedly threatened to attack him if he did not comply.
He told the publication;
“At that point, I had no choice and for the sake of peace, I picked up the microphone and started playing the song for him.
“After about 20 minutes, I dropped the microphone; but Mr Uzo again ordered me to pick up the microphone and play until he was satisfied.
“But I refused to sing and instead ordered my crew to pack up so we could leave the scene. At this point, the coordinator and his thugs descended on me, beating me with different weapons.
“After beating me to almost a comatose state, they whisked me into a room in the compound and locked me up.
“The police in Ohaozara later arrived, rescued me from the room and took me to the Alex Ekwueme Federal University Teaching Hospital, Abakaliki, for treatment.”
Ibinabo said the Ohaozara council chairman was not around when the incident happened.
Uzo, however, denied the attack and further claimed the singer agreed to perform a song for him after he asked for one.
He said;
“After that, we went inside the house and were making merry but after some time, he (Ibinabo) said he wanted 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 action of his attackers like others inside.”
The Ebonyi State police spokesperson, SP Chris Anyanwu, however, said he was not aware of the incident.