By Adadareporters
Dr James Ile, lecturer at the Department of English Language and Literature, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, would have been lynched by street urchins celebrating Sallah in Abuja on Saturday but for prompt interventions by soldiers.
The attack began at Area 1 under bridge, and ended at the overhead bridge leading to Apo Legislative quarters.
Dr Ile told our correspondent that, “They nearly killed me if not for two soldiers that were driving past and stopped to check them.”
Ile posted on his Facebook page, “God delivered me from sudden torturous death yesterday: done with morning exercise and was gently driving home, and booom, l was hit by a motorcycle driven by an urchin carrying a fellow urchin and both high on Sallah excitement and obviously some drugs..
“Location: Area 1, underbridge roundabout [Abuja]. Dudes were at fault but came at me as if l was the one at fault.
“Within seconds their likes collected around me, pushing me here and there, dragging me hither and thither. I, somehow, found my way into my car, and while some guys were intervening for me, l zoomed off, very scared for my life.
“The chase began. I was double crossed at the bigger rouudabout and was blocked with motoclycles. Then hell broke lose. [My] car windscreen was smashed, immediately. Bumper pulled out etc.
“Two army officers driving by saved me from being mobbed. These guys have no value for human lives. Besides, unable to communicate meaningfully in English aggravated the situation more.
“Without education for these guys, there will be no end to the evil they will keep unleashing.”
What has kept people talking is that the spot Dr Ile was mobbed is a stone’s throw from a police post.
Ile said, “It was when l saw that the police officers at the roundabout were unconcerned that l told myself: ‘you have to run’. In fact, a taxi driver there who saw what happened said: ‘oga, just get out of here. They are at fault but they will kill you if you don’t get away’.”
A former president of Association of Nigerian Authors, Denja Abdulahi, recounted his experience at the same place.
According to him, “I was also nearly mobbed by some miscreants in that same Area 1 a few days ago.
“They did that under the guise of enforcing parking rules. I had to call an Airforce officer to send his men to rescue me, and that scared them off. The temerity of it all is that they carry out their acts with policemen and road safety officers looking unconcerned nearby.”
