Governor David Umahi of Ebonyi State on Tuesday condemned the killing of a former member of the Abakaliki Capital Territory Development Board and Secretary to the State Elders Council, Chief Geoffery Mgbada.
He also called for a thorough investigation into the circumstances surrounding his death.
Southern City News gathered that Mgbada was allegedly killed in the early hours of Tuesday by suspected members of the Vehicle Inspection Service, who were allegedly on illegal duty along Presco-Ezza Road, Abakaliki, the Ebonyi State capital.
The deceased, who was said to be driving with his wife, was intercepted by the VIS officials in the course of their illegal duties.
It was learnt that an argument ensued between them. One of the VIS officers allegedly pushed Mgbada, as the victim hit his head on the concrete and died.
However, two members of the team were immediately arrested by the Anti-Kidnapping Unit of the Nigeria Police Force, while the leader of the illegal team was later arrested.
Umahi, in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Emmanuel Uzor, described the killing of the elder statesman as callous and ordered full investigation into his death in the hands of thugs, who paraded themselves as VIS officers.
The statement read in part, “The governor on hearing about the death of Chief Mgbada expressed great sadness and ordered the Commissioner of Police to arrest and prosecute the suspects, who paraded themselves as VIS officers.
“The governor is saddened by this careless death and wishes to dissociate the state government from the illegal activities of the VIS and other taskforce agents in the state and directs the immediate arrest and prosecution of such illegal tax or revenue agents.
“He further commiserated with the family of the deceased and vowed to ensure that justice is done, while urging members of the public to resist illegal revenue agents, as the only body legally permitted to collect revenue on behalf of the government is the newly inaugurated Board of Internal Revenue.”
Southern City News also gathered that the body of the deceased had been deposited in the mortuary of the Alex Ekwueme Federal University Teaching Hospital, Abakaliki.
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