A blind widow and mother of four, Barr. Benny Francis has appealed to Governor Monday Okpebholo of Edo State to intervene over what she described as injustice meted out on her and her children.

She lamented that after her husband, who was the breadwinner of the family, was knocked down by a bus chased by the then Kelly Okungbowa aka Ebo-Stone-led Edo State Task Force, all her efforts to meet with the governor had proved abortive.

“When the governor heard about the incident, we were told he asked, ‘Where is the family of the man?’ The governor is actually interested in the case, but we are being blocked from gaining access. I met with the Coordinator of the First Lady, who was trying to arrange our meeting with the governor. On one of my visits to the Office of the First Lady, I met Ebo-Stone in the office, so I waited at the reception. To my surprise, the Coordinator didn’t meet with me that day, even though she was the one who asked me to come. Till this moment, no attempt from that end. This is what happens to any highly placed political office holders. They may attend to me and listen to me initially, but once

I meet them with Ebo-Stone, their doors become completely shut against me. I don’t know what they are hiding,” she said.

Narrating how her tragic and pathetic story began on Wednesday, she said that until the tragic incident that led to her losing her sight, “she was a contractor with the Edo State Oil and Gas Producing Areas Development Commission (EDSOGPADEC) and was awarded a contract to construct a 10-unit staff quarters in Ughoton Community, Edo State.”

She added that “during the execution of this project, I was diabolically attacked and rendered blind,” stressing that “following this unfortunate incident, EDSOGPADEC assured me that they would compensate me for all my losses, settle my medical bills, and support my recovery. Unfortunately, these promises were never fulfilled.

“The former Secretary to the State Government (Barr. Osarodion Ogie) directed them to provide me with a Prado Jeep and a Hilux to assist with my mobility, but after the car was delivered, the former Oil and Gas Chairman ordered its retrieval within 24 hours under the pretext of repairs. To date, the vehicle has not been returned.