Femi Folaranmi, Yenagoa
A cousin to former First lady, Mrs Patience Jonathan, Mr Victor Oba, has been arrested for alleged attempted murder.
Oba was arrested for allegedly attempting to kill his ex-lover, Seigha Atia with his car.
Oba, who is the Manager of Aridolf Hotels and Spars, was said to have hit the 23-year-old Atia with his Sports Utility Vehicle (SUV) damaging her left leg beyond treatment.
He was said to have hit her and left her for dead before zooming off with his car.
According to investigations Oba was apprehended and taken to the Azikoro Police Station after the act was discovered.
Though reports indicated that influential persons were mounting pressure on the police to release Oba and sweep the matter under the carpet through bargaining for settlement the police had insisted on ensuring justice for the victim.
At the Federal Medical Centre (FMC) Yenagoa, where Atia is admitted, doctors are battling to save her life.
Atia who spoke on the incident in an interview expressed shock that an attempt was made on her life.
“On the day of the incident, we had an argument and he called me and asked me to come outside of our gate to get the rest of my things in his car. He said he was driving to our area at Ox-Bow Lake to come and give me my things since I was no longer interested in the relationship.
“He eventually showed up. He came down from his car, reached for the passenger seat, opened the door brought out two bags and handed them over to me. I opened the bag and I figured out my things weren’t complete, and I told him some of my things were not there and that I would come and pick up the rest of my things.
“At that point, he started screaming, saying he would not want to see me close to his house. But I insisted I would come to take other things he did not bring to me.
“At that point, he was already in his car. He started raining abuses on me calling me unprintable names. I couldn’t take it. So, I responded. The next thing, he drove his car into me with speed. He hit me against our gate, held me there and did not reverse his car despite the fact that I was screaming in pains.
“He later reversed and I fell to the ground and he zoomed off. My neighbors, who watched what happened screamed for help and neighbours came to my rescue.”
Atia’ s sister Preye who also spoke begged the police to handle the matter with utmost professionalism despite the personalities involved in the interest of justice.
Preye described the action of Oba as unimaginable saying it was inconceivable to visit such violence on her sister.
“I don’t have so much confidence in the police because of who the guy is. They called us and tried to settle, but we cant accept such settlement because right now my sister is at the verge of having her leg amputated. We want justice. This was an attempted murder; we want justice; we want things legally done the right way”.
The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) Asimim Butswat who confirmed the incident said the police were on the matter.
According to him the suspect has been arrested for attempted murder and would be transfered to the Criminal Investigations Department of the Police Command.