•Tuface Photo: Sun News Publishing

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In the face of adversity and threat to his own life, Tuface Ididia, the award winning pop star, reportedly displayed rare courage last Thursday as he stood between vicious gunmen, yet he acted to save his pal.

The gunmen had attacked him Thursday night along Oshodi-Apapa Expressway, precisely at Cele Bus stop.
Even as bullets smashed into his left thigh, the Nigerian pop star, who just returned from the UK after clinching the award for the ‘Best African Act of The Year,’ displayed raw bravery and courage in the face of adversity.

Ifeanyi Orji, elder brother to Faze, who also doubles as his manager, recounted to Sunday Sun, last night in Lagos, how split second timing and raw courage, on the part of the singer galvanised him into action when the assailants opened fire on them.
"It was at Cele Bus stop. We were in light traffic, ‘ free styling’, a song he was writing, when I saw a couple of guys get down from the car next to us.

‘Open the door!’ I heard the command from one of the assailants, and the blood froze in my veins! What was happening? I was rooted to my seat like a statue. The next thing I heard was boom! boom! The glass shattered. I thought I was dead! Then I heard Tuface’s voice calling "Odogwu, move! Get out of the car!" I don’t know how I did it. I just saw myself running and stumbling and running.

"Suddenly I discovered that he was behind me, panting, asking, ‘’are you okay!’ Despite his wounds, he was still asking about my state. I reached out to support him as we staggered on. It was like watching a James Bond movie but in this case, we were the actors! "
They would later be rescued by a van carrying pure water and taken to Cedar Hospital in Festac Town, where they were all admitted.

It was in the bus that they discovered that they were wounded and bleeding: "I discovered that he was bleeding. When he noticed my blood soaked T-shirt, he cried out, ‘Odogwu, are you okay! He thought I was shot in the stomach. He forgets all his pain and was asking after me. I was touched. I was scared like a fool. Tuface was bold and confident! He was the reason why I fled the car. It was his voice that made me run for dear life."

Hycent Idibia, younger brother of the singer and a member of the music duo, Da Natives, whose current single, ‘Love You Better’ is making waves on TV, reassured Nigerians of his brothers state of health: "he is hail and hearty and in very high spirits. I want to use this opportunity to debunk reports in certain sections of the media that he was in critical condition. I spoke to him five minutes ago and I can authoritatively tell you that he is in excellent health condition. He should be back with us in a couple of days.

"I was waiting for the arrival of my brother, chilling when I heard the news. I was like, ‘what kind of news is that? Less than an hour earlier, they had called and told me that they were on the way. I was dazed. I couldn’t believe it. He was shot! I drove like a madman to Cedar Hospital, almost knocking down people. People were screaming, madman! I just did not care."

However, he said that when he met him at the hospital, Tuface was calm.
He laughed and said, ‘Na wa-o HI, bad boys shoot me.’ Despite his pain, he still could make a joke about his situation. He kept smiling and reassuring me."

Contrary to speculations, HI insisted that his elder brother was not in any danger or critical condition: He is as fit as a fiddle. He was never in danger of losing his life. The darkest moment is over, I was relieved."
On speculations that hired assassins attacked him, he said: "It could be a robbery attack or set up, I don’t know. All I know is that I am happy that he is alive and God would always protect him."
Decrying the state of security in the country he said: "The security situation is terrible. This is the second time it is happening. The police should concentrate more on protecting lives and property rather than harassing people in the name of stop and search."