A 32-year-old businessman, Aniekpeno Idip, has accused Unyime Okon, an official of the Uyo Custodial Centre on Barracks Road, of allegedly stabbing him.
It was gathered that Okon perpetrated the act after Idip, who was driving a vehicle, rammed into a tricycle driven by Okon’s colleague, Emine Moses, on Friday, December 2 in the Uyo Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom.
Speaking with PUNCH, Idip said he was in motion when one of the front tyres of his vehicle pulled out.
He said he was struggling to control the vehicle when he rammed into Moses’ tricycle, adding that people in the area rushed to rescue him and the rider.
He said, “The accident happened around 8.05pm on Friday, December 2, 2022. I was driving from Nwaniba Road in Uyo and heading towards Barracks Road. But I was on Brooks Street when one of the front tyres of my vehicle pulled out and I hit Emine Moses’ tricycle.
“People rushed to rescue both of us and examined if we sustained any injury. But Moses’ face got swollen. Suddenly, the tricycle operator moved towards his tricycle, picked up his phone and called Unyime Okon.
“When Okon came, he was dressed in his prison uniform. He called the tricycle operator and they discussed for about two minutes.
“Okon later called me and as I was about to stand up to meet him on the other side of the road, a man and a woman who were caring for us said I just had an accident and I could not be questioned.
“Out of annoyance, Okon crossed to the side of the road and came to me and started saying he called me but I refused to answer him. He said I don’t know who he is. All of a sudden, he brought out a dagger, stabbed me in the back and blood started gushing out of my body.”
Idip said he collapsed after losing a lot of blood, adding that sympathisers rushed him to a private hospital for treatment.
“The man and the woman caring for me tried to apprehend Okon, but he threatened to stab them if they touched him. So, he entered his car and drove off. But because I already lost a lot of blood, I collapsed and was rushed to the Majesty Hospital, where I was operated on.
“The people at the scene of the accident apprehended the tricycle operator and took him to the Traffic Unit, Division A on Barracks Road, where the case was reported. I gathered that both Okon and Moses work at the Uyo Custodial Centre on Barracks Road. I want them arrested and charged,” he added.
The state Police Public Relations Officer, Odiko Ogbeche-Macdon, said he had yet to get a report of the incident from the Division ‘A’ Police Station where the matter was reported.
“However, I am waiting for an update from the area command located within the same vicinity,” he added.
The spokesperson for the Nigeria Correctional Service in the state, Richard Metong, said investigation had commenced.
He said, “I am not going to speak on that incident at the moment because the incident is being investigated and when we are done, I will speak on it.”