Benue: Thugs attack PDP chieftain Bemgba Iortyom in Makurdi, burn his car

From Scholastica Hir, Makurdi

Thugs on Friday night attacked a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Benue State, Chief Bemgba Iortyom.

The attack on Chief Iortyom occurred barely 24 hours after his appointment as Consultant on Media and Public Communications by the PDP in Benue State.

The chieftain said he barely escaped with his life as the thugs set his car ablaze.

He told newsmen that the attack was politically motivated.

In a statement, Iortyom narrated his ordeal: “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 five, 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, as my shouts and calls for help yielded nothing with onlookers witnessing the scene without anything to do about it other than to urge me to run to safety. Moreover, the whole incident unfolded relatively quickly.”

He said he has since reported the matter to the police and that investigations were ongoing. He noted that “I must say that this incident cannot in all sincerity be said to have come as a surprise to Benue people.”

He urged security agencies to 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.

He warned that “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-defence, in exercise of their fundamental right to life and survival.”

The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Benue Command, DSP Udeme Edet, confirmed that the matter has been reported and that investigation was ongoing.