Port Harcourt – The Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Martin Amaewhule, used his 52nd birthday thanksgiving service to reveal that he has survived both a brutal kidnapping in the past and recent assassination attempts.
Speaking at the All Saints Anglican Church, Eliozu, Obio/Akpor Local Government Area, the Speaker acknowledged that his birthday was not just a celebration, but an expression of gratitude for divine protection.
Amaewhule disclosed that he has faced deliberate threats to his life, particularly over the last year. “I am not just marking another birthday but acknowledging that many people had planned to take his life in the last year, but God didn’t allow them,” he told the congregation.
Recounting the Harrowing 2008 Abduction
The Speaker provided a chilling account of a 2008 kidnapping incident where he narrowly escaped death. He revealed the abduction was planned meticulously, starting right inside the church.
“Some of you were here in 2008 when a preacher was preaching right here on a Sunday service, on that faithful day, I didn’t know the people who came to kidnap me were also in the service,” Amaewhule recalled.
After the service, unidentified gunmen “tactically followed” him to his residence. They quickly overpowered and tied up his security guard before abducting the Speaker and transporting him deep into a forest.
He was held hostage for a terrifying five days, during which he endured severe physical abuse. Amaewhule described being moved from one hideout to another within the forest, noting that his captors “placed thorns under my feet and inflicted several injuries on my head and body.” The ordeal was compounded by deprivation, as he was fed only biscuits throughout the five-day period and “almost bled to death.”
Despite these traumatic experiences and ongoing threats, the Speaker concluded his service by expressing deep gratitude for God’s blessings, guidance, and preservation over the years.
“When God does things for you, it is important to appreciate him for more,” Amaewhule stated, affirming his commitment to faith as he continues his tenure in the State Assembly.
