…Relives Ugly Experience With Assassins 5 Years Ago
…Commends His Boss. Bro Felix Obuah For Standing By Him
Five years after he escaped an assassination attempts by a group of daredevil gunmen, the Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to the Sole Administrator of the Rivers State Waste Management Agency, Pastor Jerry Needam says the incident remains a nightmarish experience to him.
He said the incident occurred on the evening of Tuesday, December 22, 2015, at a period of foray of kidnap and assassination attempts which had ravaged parts of the Niger Delta at the time, but as God would have it, he escaped and cheated death by the whiskers!
But, three gallant police officers, including an Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) who had come to his rescue were not as lucky, as they lost their lives.
Jerry Needam who is also Publisher of award-winning National Network newspapers, relived the uglyincident while speaking at a special thanksgiving service at St. Luke’s Christ Army Church of Nigeria (CACN), Kono, Khana Local Government Area on Sunday.
He said the incident happened right at his residence in Port Harcourt, during which scores of armed men engaged the Police in a fierce gun battle, leaving the compound, rooms and vehicles riddled with bullets.
Pastor Needam also recalled that that Tuesday’s failed attempt on his life was, according to him, the third in a “highly organized, politically motivated plot on his life”.
According to him, “The daredevil men stormed my residence in the wee hours of that Tuesday morning and shot sporadically to gain entrance into the compound.
“During the incident which lasted for over 2 hours, I put a distress call to the Police who promptly arrived my residence and engaged the gunmen in a fierce gun battle”.
He enjoined his brethren, friends, relations and associates to join him to thank God on daily basis, saying he had nothing else to do but render thanksgiving to the Almighty God.
“I literally get goosebumps each time I remember that fateful day. I believe that my life is a product of God’s abundant grace. My life ended on that day; what I am enjoying today is what I would call a bonus life, graciously gifted to me by the Almighty. To Him be all the glory!”, he told the excited congregation.
Recalling that the incident also occurred at the time his boss, Bro. Felix Obuah was the State Chairman of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Jerry said he believed and still believes that the mastermind of the kidnap and assassination attempt were his ‘political opponents’ who desperately want him silenced following his strong political views and his penchant for the truth.
“I still extend my unreserved gratitude to the Rivers State Police Command for their prompt response to the distress call and their demonstration of professionalism in the encounter with the heavily armed assassins.
“An unquantified thanks also goes to the church for their prayers for me and my family. I however, sympathize with the Police command and the families of the deceased policemen, praying that God would give them the fortitude to bear the loss of their beloved bread winners”, he said.
