Soldier Shoots Judiciary Driver in Uyo over Right of Way

 Okon Bassey in Uyo

There was palpable fear wednesday in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State capital, when a soldier shot a worker with the Akwa Ibom State Judiciary headquarters, Mr. Godwin Udoaka, over right of way.

Udoaka, a driver attached to the state judiciary narrowly escaped death, as he was shot at close range by the soldier attached to Wizzchino Engineering Limited, Uyo.

THISDAY gathered that the incident happened at about 12:45p.m. on Asutan by Udo Streets junction, close to the Secretariat of the Correspondents’ Chapel of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Uyo.

While Udoaka was immediately rushed to the University of Uyo Teaching Hospital (UUTH) by sympathisers where he is receiving treatment, the soldier was said to have  disappeared with the company vehicle before mob attack.

An eye witness said the driver of the judiciary vehicle and his counterpart of Wizzchino Engineering Limited had arrived at the area from opposite direction at the same time but they could not initiate their way out due to double packing of cars on the streets.

In a very minor exchange of words over the right of way, the soldier who sat on the front seat of the vehicle, reportedly fumed over the judiciary driver, insisting that the driver of the Wizzchino Engineering Company should go back for him to pass.

 The soldier whose identity could not be ascertained by the time of filing in this report, was said to have stepped out from the Toyota Hilux Van with the registration number: ABC 222 AY and shot the driver in the face.

Reacting, the President, Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN), Albert Mbebe, told journalists that ‘‘the WE-Hilux Van came in the opposite direction and refused to go back.

 “It was the judiciary driver that had the right of way, but the soldier got angry when the driver asked them to leave the road for him to move.

“It was there that argument ensued as the soldier came down and shot the driver in the face.”

The son of the victim, Mr. Sifon Udoaka, while speaking with journalists, expressed anger over the attitude of the soldier.

He confirmed that his father had been taken to the University of Uyo Teaching Hospital for medical treatment.

The State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Don Awunah, said he was on official engagement in Abuja and had not been informed of the incident.