The Anambra State Government has vowed to take action following an alleged physical altercation between Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Welfare, Mrs. Chinwe Achugbu, and a female Head of Department in the ministry.
According to sources, the incident occurred on August 15 during an argument in the ministry’s office, resulting in the HOD being strangled to the point of losing consciousness. Colleagues intervened, stopping the altercation and rushing the HOD to the hospital, where she was resuscitated.
An anonymous source in the ministry confirmed the incident, saying: “Yes, the incident happened. I was there that day, and everything unfolded right before my eyes. The Permanent Secretary tried to strangle the HOD, holding her neck for several minutes. It was only through the intervention of others that normalcy was restored, and the HOD was rushed to the hospital because she fell into a coma.”
Another ministry employee expressed concerns that the matter might be swept under the rug due to the high status of the individuals involved.
Mrs. Achugbu declined to comment, citing her position as a person “under authority” and directing inquiries to the Head of Service, Theodora Igwegbe.
Ms. Igwegbe acknowledged awareness of the incident through social media but noted that she had not yet received an official report.
She stated: “I saw the report on social media on Friday, August 23, 2024. I have not received a formal report against the Permanent Secretary in question as provided by Section 7, Chapter 10 of the Public Service Rules (2021). That notwithstanding, I have started asking questions to ascertain what happened while I await a formal report, which should be the beginning of a process.”
Efforts to reach the Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Welfare, Ify Obinabo, for comment were unsuccessful.
