An absurd drama played out on Sunday, November 15, 2020, when an artisan was allegedly planked severely and inflicted multiple head injuries by his highly placed employer who was reportedly angry over disagreement regarding some aspects of a job the victim was contracted to accomplish.   

The artisan (name withheld) said he was contracted by his alleged assailant to do some electrical jobs including lighting up a neon signpost at the Secretariat of the Bonny Youths Federation (BYF) along King Asimini Bypass (Berger Road), Bonny.

He identified his alleged assailant as the Chairman of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Bonny Local Government Area of Rivers State, Tamuno-Opubo Wilcox-Buruwi, who just ended his stint as Chairman of the Caretaker Committee (CTC) of the Bonny Youths Federation (BYF).

According to the victim, who revealed that he was an artist and electrician, his assailant used a plank to flog him mercilessly and inflicted severe head injuries on him.

“He came and was asking about the light. I told him it was finished and showed him the packet, next thing I saw, he picked up a plank on the ground and started flogging me.”

“He beat me with the plank and injured me all my back. I did not do anything to him only doing my job.”  

He further explained that at the time of speaking with Kristina Reports he was receiving treatment at the Zonal Hospital, Bonny, after reporting the incident to the Nigeria Police Force (NPF), Bonny Division.

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A senior police officer, who preferred anonymity as he was not authorized to speak on the matter, confirmed to Kristina Reports that the Police in Bonny have received complaint from the victim and was already investigating the imbroglio.

When Kristina Reports contacted the Bonny LGA PDP Chairman, Tamuno-Opubo Wilcox-Buruwi, he neither admitted nor debunked the allegation, rather he referred Kristina Reports to the Chairman of Finima Youths Congress (FYC), Charles Brown, who he claimed engaged the victim.

Brown was the Secretary of the now defunct BYF CTC which was chaired by Buruwi-Wilcox.

“That boy is an idiot, please, can you call me tomorrow? Call Charles, whatever Charles tells you, call me back. That boy has insulted me. Call Charles, it was Charles that brought him, I never employed him, Charles brought him.”

He claimed it was a stick that fell from up and hit the victim, stressing that as a public servant the victim cannot speak to him disrespectfully.

“Call my secretary. That boy is an idiot and you know I shouldn’t have done that. When he went there a stick flew from up and injured him. I am a public servant, he cannot fault my job, he cannot speak to me anyhow. Ask him what he has done.”

The victim hinted Kristina Reports that he has contacted his lawyer and will be pressing charges against Wilcox-Buruwi, who also happens to be the immediate past Supervisor for Works in the Bonny Local Government Council.

Recall that days ago, in what appears to be a growing ugly trend, the Leader of Etche Local Government Legislative Assembly, Rt. Hon. Blankson Anyanwu was accused of assaulting his uncle’s wife and inflicting her with head injuries.