Governor Tanko Al Makura of Nasarawa State has reacted to reports in the social media that his security detail harassed an innocent woman on the highway, damaging her vehicle in the process, describing the story as misrepresentation of facts.
The social media was awash with reports that the woman, whose vehicle – a Peugeot 406, was damaged by the police escort attached to the governor’s convoy, was called a ‘prostitute’, rude and told to ‘go to hell’ by Mr. Al-Makura, who also reportedly ordered her arrest and an apology letter extracted from her.
But in a swift response on Saturday by his Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Ahmed Tukur, the governor said there is no iota of truth in the woman’s claims but the misrepresentation of facts calculated to tarnish his image by mischief makers.
The statement, which Tukur said was meant to set the records straight, admitted that on Thursday at about 3.pm when the convoy of Gov. Al-Makura was approaching Nasarawa Eggon Local Government, a vehicle was right on the middle of the road and despite several efforts by the police outrider and the pilot to slow the car down, the vehicle remained where it was, refusing to make way for the convoy which nearly caused an accident.
“The action of the vehicle gave room for suspicion considering the fact that it was at the same area in 2003 that the convoy of former governor of Benue state George Akume now a Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, was attacked”, he said.
On closer look at the vehicle by the escort commander, the statement said it was observed that a woman was in the driver’s seat with a minor in the passenger seat next to her.
The number of occupants in the woman’s car as disclosed by the governor’s spokesman is contrary to her version of events.
According to the woman, identified as Ms. Lois Iorvihi’s account, she was traveling with her younger sister, Joi and their brother Jerry.
However, the governor’s spokesman said the escort commander directed the convoy to track her with caution so as not to push her car by the shoulder.
“This took up to 3-5 minutes before the escort commander managed to halt her. She stopped abruptly on the road forcing the convoy to also stop and other road user causing heavy traffic along the high way.
“As she came out, she began to rain abuses on the Police boasting that she is a lawyer and a daughter of a police Commissioner and has the right to drive the way she wants.
“Noticing her unruly behavior, the Governor directed the escort commander to invite the Police from the nearest police station to handle the matter to avoid further congestion and obstruction of traffic on the Highway while the convoy continued on its journey to Abuja”, the statement said.
Al-Makura’s media aide said it is the height of mischief and irresponsibility for anybody to insinuate that the governor made disparaging comments on the woman in question, adding that “anybody that knows Al-Makura will attest to the fact that it is not in his character to use derogatory words on people let alone a woman”.
While urging the press and general public to disregard the misleading and wicked insinuation aimed at portraying the governor in bad light, Tukur said the fact remains that Mr. Al-Makura did not engage in any exchange of words with the woman.
Lies. The purported reaction of the Governor is so porous you can see it as you read along. Pure administrative lies put together by the experts paid to cover tracts. Comparing this with the lady’s narration, it’s not difficult to decipher the truth and the lie. The lady should take the governor up for human right abuse period.
lieyers dts how uniform men and politicians are abusing us,what ryt as a governor does he have to make her move out of d way just to alow his convoy to pass
road is road it belongs to every body chai my sis teach those political dogs lesson wallahi drag them to human right