Mr. Bemgba Iortyom, a prominent chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Benue State, narrowly escaped a fatal attack on Friday night when suspected hoodlums ambushed him and subsequently set his vehicle ablaze in Makurdi, the state capital. The harrowing incident occurred just hours after Iortyom publicly announced his new appointment as Consultant on Media and Public Communications to the PDP within the state.

Iortyom, who previously served two terms as the party’s State Publicity Secretary, had earlier urged party stakeholders to rally support for his new responsibility. He framed his appointment as a critical component of the PDP’s overarching strategy to reclaim political power from the incumbent All Progressives Congress (APC) in Benue State. In his statement announcing the appointment, Iortyom was highly critical of the current leadership, asserting, “The state must be rescued from certain crash and destruction at the hands of a governor who took the steering wheel of leadership without even a learner’s permit, not to talk of a driver’s licence qualifying him for the job of steering the state’s affairs safely.” He added that contributing to this rescue mission was the task he had accepted in his new capacity.

Recounting the terrifying ordeal, Iortyom detailed that the attack unfolded along George Akume Way, a central thoroughfare in Makurdi, as he was preparing to pull over to answer a phone call. “I was attacked by unknown persons at about 8 pm and though I managed to escape, my car, a Peugeot 406 saloon, was set ablaze and burnt to ashes,” he stated. He estimated the attackers to be about five individuals, who arrived on two motorcycles. As he was in the process of clearing off the road to park, they abruptly blocked his path. Armed with short axes, they immediately launched their assault on him.

Iortyom credited his quick thinking for his survival. “I give God Almighty the glory for quick thinking, which enabled me to act fast by opening the door of my car and running away before the hoodlums poured fuel on the car and set it ablaze,” he explained. After setting the vehicle alight, the attackers swiftly mounted their motorcycles and fled the scene. Despite his shouts and calls for help, onlookers present at the scene were reportedly helpless, doing little more than urging him to run to safety.

Following the incident, Iortyom confirmed that the matter has been reported to the “E Division” of the Benue State Police Command, and investigations are currently underway. He expressed his grave concern, characterizing the attack as a stark reflection of the escalating political tension prevalent in the state. He made a strong appeal to security agencies, urging them to uphold their allegiance to the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, rather than any individual or group. He emphasized their duty to guarantee the safety of citizens, warning that without such protection, people might be left with no recourse but to resort to self-help, potentially leading to a descent into lawlessness. Efforts to obtain a comment from the Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Udeme Edet, were unsuccessful at the time this report was filed.