by Dika
He is the Governor of Nassarawa state. His name is Tanko Al-Makura and he hates sharing Nassarawa state roads with the same masses who voted in him into power.
There are those who have been unfortunate to be on the receiving side of the brutality of his police escorts for daring to be on the roads, same time as Emperor Al-Makura and they all have a story to tell. A story of brutality. One filled with beatings, blood spilled and a few broken bones.
Kenneth Cole Duben Nwane shares his story:
“I was posted for my National service in Nassarawa state and had to open a GTB bank account in Karu. I received a message from my bank to come for my new debit card as my old one was about to expire. I was driving in a car towards Mararaba/Karu area. Unfortuanately for us, Governor Tanko Al-Makura and his convoy were at the market area for a visit.
“The security personnel attached to the Governor were looking like spoilt shit. The car I was in was parked behind one of the Hilux cars that were part of Al-Makura’s convoy. We stopped and made no move until the traffic warden gave a go ahead.
“Given that traffic was terrible, cars were too close to each other. My driver kept moving forward and without a warning, the Driver in Governor Al-Makura’s convoy banged hard on the glass of the back door as it was fully wound up. The whole glass shattered and some of the glass got to my skin.
Here is another story by Eneche Eneche, a not-too-popular comedian. And it is no joke:
“I left Abuja on that fateful day, driving to Makurdi alone in my ash colored Peugeot 406 saloon car with registration number TK 124 KUJ.
“The journey was smoth until I encountered the convoy of Governor Al Makura.
“I know that that each time you hear siren blaring from behind, the best option is to give way. It is either you veer completely off or if the road it wide enough, you give way. In my case, his convoy was coming from the opposite direction on a single lane.
“A bridge was in front and I was on top speed. I felt that since I was not in any way obstructing VIP movement, the convoy would go it’s way and I will go my own way.
“I saw them from a distance and had calculated already, all off a sudden a dark green Peugeot 406 saloon fill with men in black suits left their lane and faced me at top speed coming for a head on collision. I had to apply automatic break, because there was a bridge in front, and if I maintained the same speed, I would have either crashed with the 406 or I crashed into the bridge…
“I applied the breaks, veered off the road and found myself inside the bush. Thank God nothing happened to me, except my bumper that got damaged and the stabilizers that shifted.
“This happened at exactly where that water treatment plant is which is less than 3KM from the popular Army checkpoint in Akwanga.
“Why I concluded he was the one is that I saw PILOT 01 in front and lot of Nassarawa state government branded cars including the official car of the Governor, carrying the seal of the Governor of Nassarawa State.
Governor Al-Makura’s latest victim shares her own story:
“My name is Lois Ngi Iorvihi, I am Tiv from Benue State. I live and do business in Abuja FCT.
on Thursday, 10th September, 2015 while returning to Abuja from my brother’s funeral which took place in Benue, the journey from Makurdi was smooth until i got to Nasarawa Eggon. I was with my elder sister Joy Iorvihi, my brother Joseph Iorvihi and my niece Lianater Iorvihi
“If you are familiar with the roads in that axis, you will know that the bends there are dangerously sharp and just by the last bend before Nasarawa Eggon town, a dispatch rider overtook my car and was crisscrossing in front of me, immediately i heard the blaring of sirens behind me and as i made to clear for the oncoming convoy, an SUV loaded with armed security men pushed my car a black Peugeot 407 off the road. In agitation, i managed to bring the car to a halt but into the bush with the right front tyre hanging on the edge of a ditch.
“Immediately i brought the car to a stop, four riot Mobile Police men descended on the car using the nozzle of their rifles to perforate and scratch the body of my car. While this was going on, my brother who was seated on the passenger seat wound down and pleaded with the Police men saying:
“PLEASE SIR, TAKE IT EASY. CAN’T YOU SEE THAT SHE IS A WOMAN AND ALREADY AGITATED.”
“Immediately they dragged my brother out of the car, used the butt of their rifles on his jaw and beat him up seriously. While this was going on, my sister Joy brought out her phone to record and take some pictures but a certain man on the convoy in plain-clothes saw her and seized her phones and Ipad, and smashed all the mobile devices they found in the car.
“Meanwhile i had gone hysterical and went about screaming in the middle of the road shouting, “Is this fair,” repeatedly. By this time, traffic had started to build up on both sides of the road. Someone from amongst the governor’s people walked up to me and whispered while pointing to a car behind me to go and beg their ‘oga.’ Before i could make a turn, a heavily tinted car drove up beside me and the occupant in the back seat wound down.
“It was only then that i realised that the VIP in question was Governor Tanko Al Makura of Nasarawa state. The first thing the Governor said was, “Young girl, you are so rude. Look at how you’re improperly dressed” (I was wearing a short gown that covered up to my knees).
“I immediately fired back at His Excellency, Governor Tanko Al Makura and said:
“How am I rude. Is this fair? Is this why we voted for you? We did not vote for you so that your convoy will run us out of the road. Look at what your security men are doing? They are destroying my car, beating up my brother and smashing all our mobile devices just because we had the misfortune of driving in front of your convoy? Is this really fair?”
Governor Al Makura fired back at me saying: “You can take the case to wherever you wish or go to hell.”
“He wound up and his ADC who was standing by the car window pushed me away and got into the car.
I saw his name tag and called out his name, RINGIM!
“And he fired back at me saying, “YES, THAT IS MY NAME. I AM THE GOVERNOR’S ADC. YOU CAN GO TO ANY LENGTH YOU WISH, WE ARE EQUAL TO THE TASK. WE WILL HANDLE YOU. RAT!” then zoomed off.
“As standers-by who were watching from the sidelines advanced towards us to sympathize with us and make enquiries, a truckload of policemen came in gangster style and bundled Joy and Joseph into the car, handed me my car keys which they had seized earlier and asked that i follow their Toyota Hilux pick up van and they drove us to Nasarawa Eggon Police Division.
“On getting to the station in Nasarawa Eggon I was charged with:
1) OBSTRUCTING THE CONVOY OF GOVERNOR TANKO AL MAKURA.
2) INTENTIONAL INSULT TO GOVERNOR TANKO AL MAKURA.
“We were detained until 5:30pm when the CSO to Al-Makura made a call to the DPO of Nasarawa Eggon Police division, one Mr. Atta to transfer us to Force CID in Lafia for detention until they return from wherever.
“The serial no. of our case in the Nasarawa Eggon police division is 135 while our IPO is Opeoluwa Apo. We arrived Lafia at about 6.00pm and were taken to the area command with the OC Legal waiting for us at the order of the CP who was notified by another senior police officer i had called for help on the matter while in Nasarawa Eggon.
“I was asked to write another statement at the area command which i did. Still under detention, the area commander came in at about 9.00pm and asked that we let the matter go and write a letter of apology addressed to His Excellency, Governor Tanko Al Makura of Nasarawa state for obstructing his convoy, insulting and being rude to him.
“I refused to write the apology letter and was detained until 11:00am on Friday 11th September, 2015.
I was amazed when the police handed over my car keys the next morning without any official procedure. My car couldn’t start so i got a towing van to tow it back to Abuja.
“As we speak Joseph who will be called to the Nigerian bar on the 20th October, 2015 is in pains and presently under observation in a government hospital somewhere in Abuja. Upon my release from Police detention, I filed my a complaint at the National Human Rights Commission in Lafia as part of the procedures to seek for redress.
His name is Tanko Al-Makura. He is the Emperor of Nassarawa state.
The opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the author.
