The National President of the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG), Mr Wiliams Akporeha, narrated before the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) how attempt was made on his life and those of the Union General-Secretary, Olawale Afolabi and the new National Chairman of the Petroleum Tanker Drivers (PTD) branch of the Union, Augustine Egbon.
Akporeha made the narration on Wednesday while testifying as the second prosecution witness (PW2) in the ongoing trial of 20 former leaders of the PTD charged with attempted murder before Justice Yusuf Halilu, sitting at Maitama, Abuja.
In the suit, marked: FCT/HC/CR/042/2023, a one-time PTD National Chairman, Lucky Osesua, is charged alongside 19 others on a five-count charge bordering on attempted murder, breach of peace and assault.
The defendants were alleged to have attacked Akporeha; Afolabi and Egbon, thus acting in a manner likely to cause their death, among others offences.
Also charged with Osesua are Dayyabu Garga; Humble Obinna; Akinolu Olabisi; Godwin Nwaka; Tiamiu Sikiru; Abdulmimin Shaibu and John Amajuoyi.
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Others are Zaira Aregbo; Patrick Erhivwor; Stephen Ogheneruemu; Gift Ukponku and Sunday Ezeocha and seven others.
They, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges.
At the resumed hearing of the case today, Akporeha, while testifying for the prosecution, narrated how on November 1, 2023 he narrowly escaped being lynched by the defendants, while both Afolabi and Egbon were not that lucky as they were thoroughly dealt with by the defendants before the arrival of police personnel from Utako Police Station.
According to him, on that day, he, NUPENG Deputy National President, Solomon Kilanko, Afolabi and Egbon arrived at the PTD office, which served as NUPENG’s Abuja liaison office, but there was much delay in opening the gate for them.
Les in his evidence-in-chief by the prosecuting counsel, David Kaswe, Akporeha said they were curious over the delay, adding that they saw Osesua, Humble Obinna and Dayyabu Garga standing at the entrance of the gate.
The three defendants, according to him, started shouting and beckoned to others standing across the road to come quickly, adding that as he and Afolabi stepped out of the car to enter the premises of the office, the defendants started calling them thieves.
“Myself and Afolabi stepped out first and decided to enter the premises through the pedestrian gate. Immediately they saw us, the started shouting and beckoned on others across the road to come quickly,” he told the court.
According to him, as soon as both of them entered the premises, some of the defendants swooped on both of them, adding that while they dragged Afolabi out of the premises, some security there provided human shield for him and took him to the back of the building.
He said as they were prevented from attacking him, all the defendants went for Afolabi, dragged onto the main road and dealt with to the extent of he bleeding.
Akporeha said from where he stood in the premises, he was able to see the defendants attacking both Afolabi and Kilanko, adding that two of them held jerry cans, which he suspected contained petrol.
“While the attack was going on, they (defendants) were shouting, ‘we will kill them and nothing will happen”
“They made attempt to climb the fence and come for me but for the electric wire on the fence that prevented them from doing so,” he said.
According to him, he later entered the building and entered the PTD chairman’s office which window, he said, faces the street where the defendants were.
“I was afraid for my life when I saw the violence visited in Solomon and Afolabi. I knew my life was in danger,” he said.
He further narrated how the others were taken to the clinic and how his driver, Peter Raymond went to the police station on his (Akporeha’s) instruction to invite police to come and rescue him.
However, the matter has been adjourned to November 20 for continuation of hearing.
