Journalist Escapes Assassination Attempt In Lagos

CYRIACUS IZUEKWE

Joseph Undu

A team of police detectives attached to Lekki division led by one Godwin Abah  have commenced investigation to unravel those behind an attempt on the life of the Champion Newspaper reporter, Joseph Undu on Sunday in Lekki area of Lagos State Nigeria.
Undu, who is a crime reporter, was trailed and attacked at about 6: 10 pm, in Jakande First Gate, Lekki, by five armed men suspected to be hired assassins.
The gang accosted him and brutally attacked him with knives vowing to kill him over a report he published about Tiv community’s election held in Lagos recently.
Narrating his experience, recuperating Undu said the armed men told him that they were sent to waste him but was only saved by a passerby, one Mr. Moses, who defended him and said he will not watch them kill an innocent man in his presence.
Speaking further, Undu said he went to Jakande Estate with the newly inaugurated president of Mdzough U Tiv Lagos State chapter to condole with the Tiv Community in Jakande Estate over the death of one of their members
While they were there, a friend called him that, he was coming to meet with them there but lost his way.
He said he came out of the venue to the street to direct his friend when those men accosted him and brutally attacked him.
“They punched my eyes, hit me on my chest and  smashed me on the ground.
When they removed their knives to stab to kill  him, he said one Moses who was there watching now jumped in with his knife and provided a shield around him vowing to resist their attempt to kill an innocent man.
P.M. EXPRESS gathered that Undu had published the outcome of the election by the Tiv Union in Lagos, which was monitored by the police and was adjudged to be successful by majority of the stake holders present.
However, he said few members led by one Alfred Uber and Godwin Ichuur were not happy with the outcome and threatened to deal with the journalist for reporting the event in the media.
Our investigation further revealed that, some of the elected executive officers of the union have also received dead threats which have been reported to the police authority.
He said one of the messages sent to the Treasurer, Mr. Isaiah Ambe, through an anonymous phone number 08136983701 which police investigation found out to be a Civil Defence personnel by name Mathew Kwaghnenger reads, “Consider yourself a dead man if u doesn’t live Lagos”.

Another one sent by one Avaa Udugbai (Nyamkyume I Tiv), a retired corporal in the military vowed to spoil the political career of the electoral committee chairman by all means.
Undu lamented that with this attack, it becomes clear that these disgruntled elements who have allegedly hired their strike team to eliminate their opponents are leaving no stone up turn to carry out their devilish act.
When our reporter contacted the IPO, Mr Godwin Abah he only confirmed that one of the suspects was arrested and declined to speak further on the matter.
One of the alleged sponsors of the attack, Godwin Ichuur denied any involvement on the incident and said the police should investigate the attack and bring the report which he said he was not involved to kill Undu.