Head of state, President Muhammed Buhari was in Edo state earlier this week to join the grand finale of APC gubernatorial hopeful Godwin Obaseki’s campaign train, but what many people are not aware of is the drama that allegedly played out shortly before the president’s convoy appeared close to the House of Assembly complex by Airport road Juncture in Benin, Edo state capital.
An eyewitness, Chijioke Anyacho narrates how a disabled woman on a wheel chair attempted suicide when she ambushed the President’s convoy, lamenting her poor living.
Read the disturbing account below:
Today I witnessed a woman on wheelchair attempt the unimaginable………running into the president’s convoy.
There was heavy military presence in King Square early this morning as president Buhari was coming to join the Grand finale of Godwin Obaseki’s campaign for the September 10th gubernatorial elections in Edo State. Soon they started redirecting vehicles and in a matter of minutes Ring Road was locked down…….no vehicular movement around the Square aside Police patrol vans.
I was beside the state house of assembly by Airport road Juncture, the only side without any military presence……just a hand full of unarmed policemen and civil defense.
Soon two Hilux Jeep with a ROAD CLOSED sign painted on top was coming with speed and the security personels immediately ordered everyone to move to the walk way and not cross the road.
In less than 60 seconds, the president’s convoy starts appearing from the curved corner of Airport road, they were not on the usual neck breaking speed that is the custom of Nigerian political class.
It was slow enough for you to get a good look of every single vehicle in the convoy yet fast enough for you not to be able to catch up with it in a race.
As the convoy gets close to the house of assembly complex, this woman on wheelchair appears from no where and starts wheeling herself right across the road.
The Jeep in front stops immediately……. I was expecting some armed security men to jump out and teach the woman a lesson for daring to ambush the president but they actually stopped for the woman on wheelchair to cross!!
I was dumbfounded.
It is suicidal to attempt crossing the road when a Nigerian politician is passing.
When the jeep stopped for the woman to cross, the woman stopped too…and it those splits seconds the driver of the Jeep seemed indecisive. Angry looking Mopol soon jumped downed from one of the Hilux van and charged toward the Jeep in from (sic) to know why it stopped suddenly, same time a policeman dashed for the woman on the wheelchair and pulled her back.
All these happened in less than 2 minutes.
It was when the woman grabbed the uniform of the policeman by the collar refusing to let go and shouting “una know as i take dey eat…I no dey fit buy food again…Buhari no go pass..make una leave me make i die”
It was then what just happened struck me.
She was held back till the president’s convoy passed.
I don’t know if i should call it desperation or bravery, honestly i don’t know which……….but I think some Nigerians are becoming more daring. The economy is pushing people to the walls.
I am sure the president will never get to hear that a woman on wheelchair attempted suicide on his convoy in Benin city.
It was right in front of me that it happened.
