A crippled beggar who attacked and stabbed an official of the Abuja Environmental Protection Board (AEPB) yesterday has begged for forgiveness, saying that he did not know that what started as a struggle would end up that badly.
The 30-year-old beggar, Sani Muazu, a native of Muri, Zamfara State, told LEADERSHIP that he was carrying out his business at Area 3, Garki yesterday when he saw the AEPB officials coming in his direction and he started running.
“Two of them came after me and when they caught up with me, a struggle ensued and it was in the process that the knife injured him,” he said.
He maintained that he did not stab the victim, Titus Tywon, intentionally, even as he said that the knife he used to carry out the act was not his own, insisting that he picked it along the street in Area 3.
“I did not know the man was injured; it was when they took me into the bus that I saw him bleeding and I felt bad because it was not intentional. They have arrested me before, this is not the first time and I have never hurt anyone. Let them forgive me please,” Sani added.
When our reporter visited the AEPB task force enforcement office at Area 3, Garki, the victim could not be found as he was said to have retired to his residence in Nyanya after receiving treatment at the hospital.
However, AEPB security liaison officer (SLO) Superintendent Titus Ndawa (rtd), confirmed the incident.
According to Ndawa, he was attending to an official issue when he got a call from the AEPB official in charge of operations in the area where the incident occurred, informing him that one of his men had been attacked
“I was at another assignment outside the area when I got a phone call from one of our officers in charge of the area that a staff member was stabbed by a crippled beggar in the process of arrest.
“I quickly left what I was doing and rushed to the office, so we rushed him to Wuse General Hospital where he was treated, administered some drugs and discharged,” he explained.
The SLO further stated that the victim sustained two deep cuts in his left palm, which had been stitched at the hospital.
AEPB prosecutor, Barr. Eze Eze, told LEADERSHIP that Sani would be prosecuted for fighting and obstructing an official from carrying out his duty, according to Section 36, subsection 2 of the AEPB Act, 1997.
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