Uche Nnorom, Makurdi
The media consultant of the Peoples Democratic Party in Benue State, Chief Bemgba Iortyom, has narrated how he escaped death when five armed wielding persons rushed to attack him on Friday night in Makurdi.
According to him, the incident occurred at about 8 p.m., a few hours after his appointment as the state PDP media consultant.
Bemgba who narrated his ordeal to newsmen in Makurdi on Saturday, said he had gone out to pick some items and while returning home along George Akume way, his phone rang and he decided to park and answer the call when the men on motorcyles, wielding knives and axes, tried to attack him.
Hear him, “last night, on George Akume Way, in the heart of Makurdi, the Benue State Capital City, I was attacked by unknown persons, and, though I managed to escape, my car, a Peugeot 406 Salon, was set ablaze and burnt to ashes.
“The assailants numbering 5 came on two motorcycles, and because I was in the process of clearing off the road to park and make a phone call, they blocked my path and armed with short axes descended on me.
“I give God Almighty the glory for quick thinking, which enabled me to act fast by opening the door of my car and running away before the hoodlums poured fuel on the car and set it ablaze They then mounted their bikes and went away.
“My shouts and calls for help yielded nothing with onlookers witnessing the scene without doing anything about it other than to urge me to run to safety .Moreover, the whole incident unfolded relatively quickly.
“While I have since reported the matter to the police and investigations are ongoing, security agencies whose allegiance is to the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, and not to an individual or group, no matter how highly placed, must rise to their duty and guarantee the safety of citizens before people are left with no choice but to resort to self help and a descent into lawlessness.
“No individual or group can arrogate to itself a monopoly over violence, as citizens when pushed to the wall, and left without the protection of the law, will act in self defense, in exercise of their fundamental right to life and survival”.
