New Perm. Sec. Allegedly Strangles H.O.D. to Near Death During Fight in Office

By Izunna Okafor, Awka

The Permanent Secretary of the Anambra State Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Welfare, Mrs Chinwe Achugbu has been accused of strangling one of the Heads of Department in the Ministry to near death.

The incident allegedly happened on Thursday, August 15, during an alleged fight that ensued between the duo.

Although, the cause of the fight could not be fully ascertained as at the time of filing this report, reports have it that it took the intervention of some persons in the office to separate the alleged fierce fight.

It was also alleged that the Permanent Secretary inflicted severe injuries on the H.O.D., to the extent that she was immediately rushed to the Emergency Ward of the Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University Teaching Hospital Amaku Awka, to save her life.

It was further alleged that this was not the first time the Permanent Secretary had displayed such a brutal physical attack on her subordinates.

A source from the Ministry who pleaded anonymity, confirmed the incident to this reporter, saying that many people in the office are afraid of reporting the excesses of the Permanent Secretary, for the fear of being victimized.

“It happened. Everything in that story happened. This one no be hear say, I dey there that day; and everything happen for my face,” the source confirmed.

Recall that Mrs. Achugbu was one of the new Permanent Secretaries recently appointed by Governor Chukwuma Soludo.

When this reporter approached her in her office at the Dora Akunyili Women Development Centre, Awka, for her reactions to the allegations, the Perm. Sec. declined to comment on the allegations, saying that she is forbidden to speak, as a person under authority. She further directed the reporter to “go and ask the Head of Service.”

When contacted by this reporter, the Head of Service, Barr. Mrs. Theodora Igwegbe, who attested to have seen a post about the said incident on social, said she was yet to receive any official report about it.

According to her, even till about 7pm when she left her office on Friday after working extra hours to clear her table, she did not receive any official report regarding the incident.

She, however, reiterated that she saw a post about the incident on social media.

“Apart from seeing that on social media this afternoon, nobody wrote or told me anything officially about it; and I was in my office till about 7pm today.

“So, as at time we were leaving the office at about 7 pm today, there was still no official report regarding that incident; and I cleared my table. There was no document there that I didn't attend to. So, what it means is that there was no such report on my table,” the Head of Service said.