The immediate past commissioner for Environment and Natural Resources in Nasarawa State, Musa Ibrahim Abubakar, was attacked by suspected assassins in Doma last week.
Mr Abubakar is currently receiving treatment at the Dalhatu Araf Specialist Hospital, (DASH) in Lafia.
He said nine gunmen shot him when he was returning from Rukubi, where he went to share both relief materials and cash to flood victims of the area.
Speaking to journalists from his sick bed, Mr Abubakar told journalists that he went to Rukubi Town to donate relief materials, including cash and other items to victims of flood disaster in the area.
“After the donation, I was going back from the town to Doma when about nine gunmen opened fire on me from different directions; the bullets hit me on the front which was blocked by my GSM handset, but other bullets hit my elbow and back.
“46 bullet shots hit and penetrated my car. The incident occurred at 5:30 pm close to Igbabo village, about 20 kilometres from Doma Local Government Headquarters. I believe that my attackers are high-profile politicians outside my party.”
The former commissioner has dumped his former party, the All Progressives Congress (APC) after he lost out in the just concluded APC assembly primary election held in the state and joined the New Nigeria Peoples Party as a candidate for Doma South at the House of Assembly.
He said he lowered his head in the car he was travelling in when the gunmen were shooting it adding that the car automatically halted when it got close to Igbabo village.
“I came down from the car d and ran towards people, calling for help,” he said, adding that .some Good Samaritans came to his assistance and took him on a motorcycle and rode for 20 kilometres to Doma, from where he was driven for another 20 kilometres to Dalhatu Araf Specialist Hospital, ( DASH ) in Lafia, the state capital.
He was thankful for the help rendered to him by the people who used pieces of clothes to tie his injuries so as to avoid loss of blood., adding that he spent three days at the Intensive Care Unit of DASH, but had to relocate to an undisclosed location.
Musa said that doctors have detected another bullet below his ribs and he needs to undergo another surgery.
The Chairman of Doma Local Government, Architect Ahmad Sarki Usman, said he was shocked to hear of gunmen attacking people, particularly at the peak of the election.
“We are peace-loving people who do politics without bitterness. I can confirm to you that the matter has been reported to the police authorities,” he said.
The police were yet to react to the incident as at the time of filing this report.
