My Encounter With A Machete-Wielding Man In Umuahia, Abia State Capital And A Call For Swift Government Action

This morning in Umuahia, the capital city of Abia State, I experienced a deeply disturbing and potentially life-threatening incident that I believe must be brought to public attention—not just as a personal account, but as a wake-up call to all stakeholders in our security architecture.

While driving along Aba Road before the Post Office, accompanied by one of my staff, I noticed a young man walking with a suspicious demeanor. In a matter of seconds, he brought out a machete from a bag he was carrying and made an aggressive attempt to strike at my car. Thankfully, I was able to swerve the steering wheel quickly, and he narrowly missed hitting the windshield.

The scene quickly escalated into chaos. The same man began chasing innocent pedestrians and passersby with the machete in broad daylight, causing panic in the area. In the rush to escape, a woman fell into a nearby gutter while fleeing for her life. People were running in all directions as the man continued walking boldly down the road, wielding his weapon without any resistance.

I quickly made a U-turn at the Azikiwe Road junction, summoning the courage to face the situation despite my fear. I immediately contacted the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) at the Central Police Station (CPS) in Umuahia. The DPO responded and assured me that officers had been dispatched to apprehend the suspect. However, after waiting for several minutes without any visible police presence, I proceeded to the traffic control post at Ikot Ekpene Junction to report the situation directly.

It was at that point that traffic wardens rallied themselves and showed some measure of courage to pursue the matter. As the machete-wielding man moved further into Ikot Ekpene Road, I began a live broadcast on Facebook to alert the Abia State Government and relevant security agencies about the unfolding danger and the need for urgent intervention.

Unfortunately, amid the chaos, some individuals began to suggest that I should have run him over with my car. But let’s pause and think—if I had done that, the narrative would have easily changed. The same people would have turned around to say I killed someone who was mentally unstable, possibly a family’s breadwinner. We cannot resolve violence with further violence, especially in a society where mob opinion can swiftly turn on the innocent.

I am using this platform to make a passionate appeal to the Abia State Government, security agencies, and all responsible institutions: we must not allow such public threats to go unchallenged. For almost 30 minutes, this individual chased people with a dangerous weapon—what if he had succeeded in harming or killing someone? Would we still excuse it by simply saying, “He is a madman”?

Being mentally unstable does not mean one should roam the streets unchecked with dangerous weapons. It is high time the government activated a system that ensures such persons are properly taken off the streets and given the medical attention they need, rather than being left to become threats to public safety.

To those on social media who rushed to comment without understanding the full context of the situation—I urge you to always ask questions and seek clarity before forming judgments. We must all take collective responsibility to build a safer society. Let us unite in fighting crime, drug abuse, and the growing negligence toward mental health management.

Thank you for reading through.

Ifeanyi Okali Fakzy
Media Professional | Community Advocate