The Inspector General of Police (IGP), the Commissioner of Police, Anambra State, the Department of State Service (DSS) and all human rights defenders have been invited to wade into the matter of a vicious attack carried out on a driver attached to GUO Transport Company by political thugs alleged to have acted on the orders of Ossy Onuko, an aide to Governor Chukwuma Soludo of Anambra State for overtaking his convoy.
A couple of viral videos showed the driver being dragged and beaten with dangerous weapons by the political thugs. Onuko is the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of the Awka Capital Territory Development Agency,
A statement signed by one Paschal Candle revealed that in the afternoon of 20 October, 23 at UNIZIK junction Awka, the political thugs brandishing matchets brutally dealt with the GUO driver because he overtook them on a Federal Expressway.
Part of the statement reads: “Assuming without conceding that this Driver committed any traffic offence, why should be butchered like this?
“The GUO driver was coming from Lagos to Enugu and on getting to Awka, he overtook a convoy belonging to Ossy Onuko, the ACTDA boss.
“Not knowing that the convoy was carrying some thugs, they chased him and on getting to the UNIZIK junction, the GUO bus stopped to drop some passengers.
“Hon Onuko ordered his thugs to descend on him. You can see him in Red in the video standing and watching while they beat and butchered the innocent Driver…
“They bundled the driver to their vehicle and took him away leaving the passengers he brought from Lagos stranded at Unizik. I am calling on all human rights defenders in the state, the Commissioner of Police, Inspector General of Police and State Director of DSS to arrest this overzealous individual who moves around with thugs and beats innocent civilians.”
GUO on its part has vowed to sue the government official allegedly involved in the dreadful act.
The company said its driver was beaten with cutlass by political thugs on the order of Onuko adding that the passengers were traumatised as they watched the helpless driver being pummelled.
Countering the allegation, however, Onuko in a statement also signed on 20 October 2023 denied instructing his aides to carry out the shameful act.
“I wish to state clearly the facts as they are, as I owe this to the public we graciously serve. Certainly, I cannot take their sensibility for granted.
“This afternoon, I had finished my exams from the Igbariam campus of the Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University and was on the way to my office in Awka, driving in the company of two civil defence officers seated in the back seat of my Toyota Hilux vehicle (there was no convoy).
“Suddenly, at Ukpo axis of the Enugu/Onitsha expressway, I sighted a white coloured GUO vehicle speedily approaching and trying to overtake me, given that the express road is still being used as a two-way drive, he could not meet up with his moves to overtake me and series of other vehicles in the line, as two heavy-duty trucks were approaching; he suddenly veered into my lane, it would have been a serious disaster and a lot of losses would have been counted if not for divine grace and my swift effort to steer my wheel rightly.
“The said driver sped off without any sign of remorse, this infuriated me and the officers I had in my car. However, we continued with our journey, getting to Amawbia flyover we hoped to stop the driver at the police checkpoint there to ensure he was okay and know the reasons behind his reckless driving because I thought I owed that as a duty to other road users.
“Unfortunately. in the same vein, he sped off. We knew we could still get him at their office in Awka because they have a park at UNIZIK junction. However, he stopped not at their park, but at the opposite Enugu Motor Park.
“The two civil defence officers fully kitted in their uniforms, approached him and asked him to alight from his bus, he locked up himself and his passengers in the bus and even attempted to overrun the officers with his vehicle. At this point the atmosphere was very heated, I had to call the police and Community-based vigilante within the environment.
“While this was going on the young man eventually came down and started insulting everyone including the officers with me.
“When I sighted the vigilante group vehicle, I narrated what happened to them, and told them the police were also coming and that the man should be taken to the police station for proper check as I did not think he was in the right frame of mind to be driving. Then I drove off from the scene as they made moves to take him with them. At this time, about 100 youths that heard I was having altercations at UNIZIK junction had already assembled. I enjoined them to go about their duties and let the security operatives do their job.
“A few minutes later in the office, the driver called me and apologised. By then about 5 other drivers/staff of GUO who are my friends were in my office to also apologise on his behalf. I immediately told them I needed no apologies and that if not for the actions of the young man, this matter wouldn’t have escalated to the police station. I called the DPO and asked him to bail the young man if they were convinced that he was fit to drive. The DPO released him immediately.
“I also learnt later on that the young man resisted arrest which led to a lot of violent conduct in his arrest, I take full responsibility for all that, and I also apologise to the young man, his company GUO, and my friends and well-wishers who have been embarrassed by my association with such act.”
