How I Escaped Death From Gunmen – Taraba Speaker

Speaker of Taraba State House of Assembly Haruna Tsokwa at the weekend said he remains undaunted in the face of the recent attack on his convoy, expressing confidence that God remains his utmost security.

The speaker’s convoy came under fire from unidentified gunmen on his way from Jos to Abuja to register for his professional study programme.
“Between Jos and Keffi, we ran into unknown gunmen. It was raining when we ran into them and before we got there, we saw two vehicles parked; when we reached that spot, they started shooting sporadically and my policemen responded too, which at the end they ran away,” he said.
He said two of the policemen in his convoy were injured in the attack and that they are currently responding to treatment at the Federal Medical Centre, Keffi in Nasarawa State.
Tsokwa said he wouldn’t know what the motive behind the attack was, but expressed hope that God will continue to protect him.
“As for me all these things are not issues because I strongly believe in God,” he said.
On whether he viewed the attack as a robbery attack, Tsokwa said, “Well, I don’t know because they were shooting randomly; I don’t know what they were up to.”

When asked if he viewed the attack as a threat to his stand on the ongoing crisis in the state over whether or not the ailing Governor Danbaba Suntai is fit to resume work after he sustained injury in an aircraft accident, Tsokwa said:
“Well, as I said, I don’t know them; even if it is coming from that side, I don’t have problem because I trust in God.”
On his relationship with Governor Suntai, Tsokwa said ‘it is cordial’, adding that the decision of the House of Assembly in respect of the letter transmitted to it was done in the interest of the governor to enable him recover well before taking full charge of governance in the state.
“Anybody that loves him would not talk of stressing him with the task of governance at the moment. Anybody that does that does not love him. That is why we in the House decided that for now that he is recovering, the acting governor should continue,” he said.
The speaker also said the state is not running a parallel government, adding that it was Governor Suntai that brought Alhaji Garba Umar on board and that both of them are one government.
Tsokwa shrugged off the rift among members of the state assembly over Suntai as minor and assured that they are working to make sure they move together as one family.
While calling for prayers for the state, Tsokwa assured that the House will give the people better legislations by the time it resumes from its recess on October 14.