Speaker Alleges Threat To Life Of Gov, Public Officials

Last week, Rivers people were introduced to another dimension of the crisis rocking the ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in the state.

First, the Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Rt Hon Otelemaba Dan Amachree wrote an “Open letter to the President,” Commander-In-Chief of the Nigerian Armed Forces, Dr Goodluck Jonathan, calling for the removal/transfer of the State Commissioner of Police, Mbu Joseph Mbu over his perceived partiality in the state PDP.

The Speaker alleged in the letter that the state governor, legislators and prominent government officials have been marked for assassination, following series of meetings held in neighbouring state and the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.

Rt Hon Amachree buttressed his allegation with the revelation that 18 unnamed notorious armed robbers and kidnappers currently in detention would be arbitrarily released to carry out the assassinations of the marked officials. He also cited instances of the partiality of the police boss, saying that the state House of Assembly had no option but to call for his redeployment.

Secondly, forty-eight hours after the Speaker raised the alarm over the alleged plan to assassinate the governor and top government functionaries, including himself, he raised another alarm over the withdrawal of all security personnel attached to him for his protection.

The chief lawmaker in the state alleged that following his open letter to President Jonathan, the state police commissioner ‘unceremoniously’ withdrew the police orderly and escort attached to him. This, he continued, confirms his earlier fears regarding plans to withdraw security operatives from the governor and top officials of the state government.

He said his fears were worsened by the recent murder of an aide to Chief Godspower U. Ake, Mr Eric Ezenekwe, and the Police Commissioner’s alleged inaction over the murder.

The killing, he said, had sent shockwaves around government circles, as politicians and government officials now see the alleged withdrawal of police orderlies and aides as a big security threat to their lives.

Although the police had denied the withdrawal of the speaker’s security details saying that they only withdrew nine additional personnel the Speaker allotted to himself, in addition to the ones officially assigned to him by law.