Police Exposed Us To Attack In Khana – RSG; Amaechi Dares Police, Vows Return To Khana …Says Nigeria’s Democracy In Danger

The Rivers State Government has blamed the Police for yesterday’s attack by hoodlums on innocent citizens who had converged for the inauguration of Save Rivers Movement in Bori, headquarters of Khana Local Government Area.
Commissioner for Information and Communications, Mrs Ibim Semenitari, who spoke to newsmen shortly after the SRM rally was disrupted by hired thugs, noted that despite the group’s request for security, no response was gotten from the Nigeria Police.
“The bad days are here again”, Semenitari lamented, saying “The Police stood by and watched the thugs attack us and they failed to do anything”.
She wondered why the Police, numbering over 200, provided security for another group that tagged itself “Voice of Orashi People” last Saturday, when they forcibly entered into the premises of the Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Council Headquarters.
The Rivers State Commissioner for Information and Communications while reacting to Police claim that it didn’t receive any request from the Save Rivers Movement (SRM) said, “you can see that the Police is economical with the truth”.
Mrs Semenitari opined that the current state of affairs in Rivers State was an indicating that the state was under siege, as she maintained that the people of the state would not be intimidated by the antics of Police.
“The people would continue to speak even though some lives would be at risk”, she insisted.
Meanwhile, a leader of the SRM and former members of the House of Representatives, Hon. Igoh Aguma, accused the Police of deliberately exposing the group to danger.
Hon. Aguma, who was an eyewitness of the violence at the All Saints Anglican Church premises Bori, where the rally was billed to hold, disclosed that at about 8.30 am when he arrived the scene, some hoodlums attacked them with machete, destroying all equipment.
“We raised alarm to the Police Division Office which is barely 200 metres from the venue, but we got no response,” Aguma stated.
He further disclosed that another group attacked and shot at his vehicle destroyed his windscreen and glass as he escaped narrowly.
According to him, about two persons suffered from bullet wounds, while over 10 vehicles, including SUVs, were battered by the hoodlums numbering over 20.
Aguma stressed that the group would not be deterred as it was poised to promote good governance and equity in the state.
He disclosed that by next week Saturday, the group would still hold its Khana rally, while that of Tai would be held on Sunday.
Another eye witness, who spoke to newsmen and a reporter with Channels television in Port Harcourt, Grace Ekang, narrated how she and her crew escaped death, as the hoodlums attacked their Outside Broadcast van and crew with machetes.
Ekang stated, “we were about to set up our equipment when the thugs pounced on us. First, they started to dismantle the canopies and public address system at the venue.
After that, they used the machetes on our vehicles. They picked our cameras and took away our belongings”.
The Channels reporter further disclosed that things came to a head when they started shooting sporadically, adding, “we started running for our dear lives. Most of the thugs were masked”.
The Tide learnt that among those attacked by the militants were the Secretary to Rivers State Government, George Feyii and Deputy Speaker, Rivers State House of Assemby, Leyii Kwanee, whose vehicles were smashed with live bullets and matchetes.
Meanwhile, the Rivers State Governor and Chairman of Nigerian Governors, Forum, Rt. Hon. Chibuike Amaechi has described yesterday’s shooting by suspected militants at Bori in Khana Local Government Area of Rivers State as a sign that Nigeria’s democracy is in serious danger.
Governor Amaechi, who stated this while speaking to journalists yesterday, at Government House, shortly after inspecting some vehicles damaged by thugs suspected to be People’s Democratic Party (PDP) supporters, alleged that the present administration headed by Dr. Goodluck Jonathan was worst than the Abacha regime.
According to him, “there is no difference between Abacha government and the present administration headed by Dr. Goodluck Jonathan.
Lives were being lost, people killed, journalists were arrested. This is even worst because governors were not arrested during the regime of Abacha”.
He alleged that the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) wants to win presidential and governorship elections by all means, adding that the Federal Government no longer cares about its responsibility to protect the lives and property of the citizens which they sworn to protect.
“The President owes Rivers people the responsibilities to protect their lives and properties. It is ridiculous. There is difference between the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the leader of the People’s Democratic Party”, he said.
“When Chief Olusugun Obasanjo said about snipers in his letter, they said he was lying and we said police used rubber bullets, the police said they have no rubber bullets, where did the rubber bullets come from. One week ago, Senator Magnus Abe was shot, he is not in Nigeria, he is in UK hospital, he was taken to an hospital that treats heart problems and that problem was caused by Mbu Joseph Mbu and the President has not said anything about it”, he said.
He, however, said following yesterday’s incident, he will for the first time expose himself as he will attend the rally of Save Rivers Movement at Bori, in Khana Local Government on Saturday.
“I want them to come and shoot me. We shall go back to Bori next Saturday and the Save Rivers Movement will stage another rally, let them come and shoot me”, he said.
The governor denied ever having cordial relationship with the Commissioner of Police, Mbu Joseph Mbu as the commissioner claimed, explaining that the first day Mbu arrived Rivers State, he arrested the orderly to the Secretary to the State Government (SSG) at the airport and detained him.
“When he met with me, I told him that the rumour in town said you were posted by the wife of the President to protect her interest and her political ambition, and he said no, that he is here to work with me, and I said we shall see it. From that day, Mbu has neither rested nor slept.
“If the police was not aware that there is rally going on in Bori, would they also say they did not hear the sound of guns?, he asked.
Meanwhile, the Chief of Staff, Government House, Sir Tony Okocha, said yesterday’s incident has revealed a lot and that the government would henceforth take precautionary measures.
He alleged that suspected militants carried out the attacks under the full glare of the police.
According to him, “the MOPOL 58 is there, the Area Command of the Police is also in Bori, would they say, they did not hear the sound of the guns?”.
When contracted, the spokes man of the Save Rivers Movement, Hon. Igo Aguma, regretted that the police in Rivers State had taken sides, adding that when the shooting was going on, he called the CP several times, but he did not pick his calls adding that he also sent an SMS at 11.17, but he never replied to the text message.
About five vehicles of different makes were riddled with bullets during the militants rampage.
The vehicles, according to our correspondent include, Land Cruiser with registration numbers Rivers ES353PH, Lagos, AAA448AA, Lexus 570, Rivers KNM815 AA, Mercedes Brilliance, Abuja ABC 830AL, Toyota Thundra, Abuja ABJ587 AE, and CHEVROLET Avalanche, Lagos 1932SR.

L-R:Governors Tanko Almakura of Nasarawa State, Rauf Aregbesola of Osun State, Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti, Babatunde Fashola of Lagos, Ibikunle Amosun of Ogun State, Rochas Okorocha of Imo State, Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo State, Chibuike Amaechi of Rivers State and the Deputy Governor of Kano State, Alhaji Umaru Ganduje, at a meeting of the APC Governors in Lagos, last Thursday

Ike Wigodo