Tayo Johnson, a member of St. Peter’s Anglican Church in Gombe, has recounted a harrowing ordeal in which he was attacked by fanatical Muslims while traveling and left for dead by the roadside.
Johnson, a printer by profession, stated that he was traveling from Abuja to Gombe in a vehicle occupied mostly by Muslims.
According to his account, as the vehicle neared Gombe, a group of heavily armed men signaled for the driver to stop. They began demanding to know if there were any Christians on the bus.
Apparently, Johnson was the only Christian on board. Rather than driving away to safety, the driver waited until the armed men spotted Johnson and dragged him out of the vehicle.
”The driver did not come to my rescue,” Johnson recalled. “As soon as they dragged me out, he took off with the other passengers. The men began beating me and attacking me with cutlasses. At one point, they thought I was dead and began to leave. As soon as I saw them walking away, I stood up and tried to run.”
The attackers pursued him again. “This time, they beat me to the point that they were certain I would not survive. I was left by the roadside until the police eventually arrived to rescue me.”
Johnson stated that he does not remember how he arrived at the hospital, where he eventually granted an interview that has since circulated on social media.
While thanking God for sparing his life, he said he lost all his belongings, including his phone, and has been unable to reach his immediate family since the incident.
He said however that the Anglican Bishop of Gombe has since visited him in the hospital after seeing his story online.
Johnson noted that the attack occurred around 8:30 PM on Sunday, March 29, coinciding with the recent massacre in Jos, Plateau State.
