The Education Secretary of Aba South Local Government Education Authority in Abia, Mrs. Ejindu Ejindu, on Friday narrowly escaped death when a bomb exploded in her office.
The blast, which occurred around 1.30 p.m., shattered parts of her office, situated within the local government headquarters.
Witnesses said Ejindu managed to escape before her assailants, who on mistaken identity, thought that she was still in the office, detonated the bomb.
�They immediately accosted her when they noticed that she had escaped, and gave her machete cuts,� a witness said.
Ejindu was said to have been taken to a nearby clinic for medical attention.
The incident caused a stampede in the ever-busy council headquarters, as members of staff and visitors ran for safety.
The council Chairman, Dr Christian Duru, who later conducted policemen round the scene, said the incident was the first of its kind in the history of the council.
The DPO in charge of Aba Area Command, Mr. Samson Iza, who led the team, declined comments on the incident.
Some council workers described the attack as a dangerous dimension to the protracted agitation by the indigenes of the area against Ejindu�s appointment.
She hails from Igbere in Bende Local Government area.
Primary schools in the area had been closed down since May when she was appointed, as the people insisted on the appointment of a native.
It was learnt that Ejindu had been receiving anonymous calls since her appointment, asking her to resign or get assassinated.