What was a routine overtaking of a three-car convoy on the very busy Marian Road in Calabar, yesterday at about 8.35 pm, Saturday, September 26, 2015, became a close shave with death when two gun touting security personnel attached to the member representing Calabar South/Akpabuyo/Bakassi Federal Constituency in Nigeria’s House of Representatives, Essien Ayi, viciously assaulted and in the process injured one Thomas Ikpi, who overtook the legislator’s convoy close to the Hi-Quality Bakery axis of Marian Road.
A www.calitown.com eyewitness say, “as the man (Ikpi) who was driving a Mercedes attempted to overtake the convoy, the Tundra in the convoy blocked him and the security men jumped down and they all started arguing. From the other two cars, a Honda and a BMW, seven boys jumped down and started assaulting Ikpi who was overwhelmed. One of the security men hit the back of Ikpi’s head with the butt of his gun, inflicting a deep cut on his head from where blood gushed out uncontrollably. Seeing that the matter was beginning to attract a large crowd, they all jumped into their vehicles and took off, leaving Ikpi in his pool of blood”.
While it has been ascertained that Ayi was not in any of the vehicles when the incident took place, the action of his security personnel and thugs, is another sad pointer to the vicious disposition of security men attached to some politicians.
At the State Housing Police Station where Ikpi is said to have incidented the matter, police sources who prefer to remain anonymous told www.calitown.com that, rather than assault him, “if the security men felt his overtaking was threatening their work, they should have arrested him and taken him to the nearest police station, instead of assault him”.
It was impossible to speak with Ayi, at press time, but sources around him are insisting that he has expressed displeasure at the actions of his aides and has tried to get in touch with Ikpi; something www.calitown.com could not independently ascertain at press time.
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Let Ikpi sue for assault and battery. Such high handedness must stop. We are in a democracy not autocracy for goodness sake! All the security details of Essien Ayi who perpetrated the act must be brought to book. They are not above the law. And it should not just stop in Essence Ayi expressing reservations about the actions of his Security details. He should go a step further by disbanding them as his detail and get more law abiding ones. That is the only way his displeasure will register the message he intends to convey!
Let T boy sue them for assault and battery. It’s high time security operatives faced the law for their acts of irresponsibility. Being a mai guard to a politician does not mean they are above the law.
Vicious brutality on innocent and hapless civilians by our security personnel, is an every day occurrence in our society. One unfortunate thing however, is that many victims of such brutality swallow the pain and perhaps, only pray to God for vengeance. That Mr Ikpi was courageous enough to incident the matter at the police station, is quite commendable! However he must seriously follow up by seeking sound legal advice and institute legal action to enforce his fundamental rights. We must say NO to senseless brutality on defenseless civilians by security personnel who are supposedly bound to protect us, but now turn around to abuse us.
This is most sad to note that another incidence of such is repeating itself again where security aide attached to a politician is assaulting a fellow Crossriverian. Then it was an aide attached to the Chief of staff to the Governor of Cross River State, now these aides are attached to a National Assembly member. This craze must truly stop henceforth by bringing these perpetrators of this barbaric attitude to book so it will serve as deterents to others still thinking and living in the past.
The best way to approach the matter is through fundamental right enforcement which shall be timely disposed of instead of assault and battery.
The rights of Nigerians must be protected.even inside the town as safe as Calabar is aclaiimed,that tugs are allowed to operate.so those who are not politicians WHO PROTECTS THEM?
Those aides are quite lucky to ve gone free,99 days for the thieve one day for the owner…I reserve my comment.sorry Tboy,vry unfortunate.