Former Minister of Information, Labaran Maku, and a senator, Solomon Ewuga, escaped death as angry youth stormed the palace of Bala Angbazo, the paramount ruler of the Eggon people on Sunday evening.

The traditional ruler was hosting a reconciliatory meeting between three Eggon sons seeking to be Nasarawa State governor on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

The youths, who stormed the palace in their hundreds, set ablaze a Toyota Corolla belonging to Chris Mamman, the immediate past national president of Eggon Cultural Association. Mamman, Maku and Ewuga are all PDP governorship aspirants in the state.

It was gathered that the meeting was held to choose a consensus candidate among them.

Maku, who was attending the meeting for the first time, escaped death by a whisker, while the duo of Ewuga and Mamman were rescued by military officers who came to the scene in three Hilux vans to forestall further destruction of property after the youths had blocked Ewuga’s entourage and prevented them from leaving the palace.

A resident of the area, Musa Dangana, told Daily Sun that the youths were angry at Mamman’s decision to contest the election.

When contacted, Nasarawa police spokesperson, Umar Numan, confirmed the attack, adding that calm had returned to the area.

•Credit (except for amended headline): Daily Sun. Photo shows Labaran Maku.