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Facts have emerged as to how Tony Iwelu, Chief Security Officer to Nigeria’s Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, died at a hotel in Kaduna on Monday.
Iwelu was suspected to have been electrocuted while taking a shower in his room at StoneEdge Hotel belonging to a friend of Kaduna State governor, Nasir el-Rufai.
A source at the hotel at the time of the tragic incident confirmed to SaharaReporters that Iwelu, a top Department of State Services personnel attached to Amaechi since he was governor of Rivers State, was found inside the bathtub in his hotel room and may have died of electrocution.
The source said, “He died inside his room. The hotel is brand new and owned by Governor el-Rufai’s friend.
“We found him dead inside the bathtub and we think he was electrocuted.”
The tragic incident took place few hours after Amaechi and members of his team escaped being killed by bandits, who attacked the train they were riding in from Abuja to Kaduna.
Confirming the attack, one of the passengers, who spoke with SaharaReporters, said that not only was there an attack but that Amaechi was present at the train station when the incident took place.
The eyewitness said, “It was when we were dispersing that the people were attacked, not the train.
“The Mando Road is a bit lonely but there are some security posts just that they are far away.
“Amaechi and the security took the same road and few minutes after, there was a shout and people were turning back from the road.
“Amaechi and his entourage along with other people going through Mando Road turned back and took the other road at the train station.
“We don’t know whether the bandits came for Amaechi or other passengers but it is confirmed that there was an attack.”
Amaechi had earlier denied reports that his entourage was attacked by bandits during the train ride on Sunday, prompting rights activist, Aisha Yesufu, to come out to slam the former Rivers governor for telling a lie.
Yesufu, taking to her Twitter handle, said, “Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, you should be ashamed of yourself. My sister, brother and sister-in-law were in that train.
“When your convoy scattered and you fled like a new born mouse whom water had been poured on, it was witnessed!. Governance is not by lies and propaganda!”
Recall that the Nigerian Railway Corporation also denied an attack on passengers on January 2, 2020 when some gunmen shot at a train on the Abuja-Kaduna route.
Since bandits took over most parts of Kaduna-Abuja highway, many prominent and ordinary Nigerians have resorted to travelling between both cities using the rail system.
As a result, corrupt officials have pounced on the opportunity created to hike ticket fare and make illegal earnings for themselves.
