Army Arrests lg Boss, pdp Chieftain In Rivers

Operatives of the Nigerian Army on Saturday arrested Chairman of Emuoha Local Government Council of Rivers State, Mr Tom Aliezi.
A chieftain of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) in the area, Barr. Tubotamuno Dick was also arrested in his unit in Asari Toru LGA.
Aliezi’s arrest was made known in a statement signed by his media aide, Loveday Ihua and made available to newsmen.
The Chairman’s media aide on behalf of the council called for the unconditional release of their principal.
Ihua stated that the LG Chairman was arrested at the council headquarter on Saturday, pointing out that the Army was biased because no reason was given for the arrest of the local government chairman.
The Army is yet to respond to allegations against its personnel during the Governorship and State House of Assembly polls in the crude oil and gas rich state.
Meanwhile, Chairman of Asari Toru LGA, Odiari Princewill said the party in the area will protest release of the results from any ward where election materials were hijacked.
Princewill accused members of the All Progressives Party (APC) in the area of hijacking electoral materials with the aid of military personnel.
He said, “Just after the distribution of materials, the military started intimidating and arresting our people. They started arresting some PDP chieftains in their homes and they are also aiding other party even though we know the APC do not have a candidate.
“But I do not know their connection with the military why they are showing their full presence and hiding under the cover of the military to perpetrate electoral violence.
“They went to some places and snatch electoral materials. Once those areas are identified, definitely we will move for cancellation,” the LG boss stated.
On the arrest of Barr. Dick, a former Caretaker Committee Chairman (CTC) of the area, the PDP Chairman in Asari-Toru LGA, Jerry Amakiri has advised the military against defaming the PDP chieftain (Dick) for alleged misconduct.
It was learnt that military personnels invaded his home, ransacked houses and cars in the compound before whisking the lawyer away from his polling unit near his family compound.
Amakiri in an interview with newsmen in the area accused the military of colluding with the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the area to intimidate PDP members.
He said, “Tubotamuno Dick was just whisked away. They (military) are alleging that he took ballot paper to his house. But we know he is not that kind of person. If they want to kill us they should kill us. We do not know where Nigeria is heading to.
“If we are contesting against the army we will know we are contesting against them. The APC brought the soldiers and they are moving with them. They want to come and snatch our unit which I know I am winning. It cannot happen,” he declared.
Also, an indigene of the area who did not give her name said the election was peaceful before the soldiers arrived.
She said, “The LGA PDP returning agent for PDP, Barr Tubotamuno Dick was whisked off by some uniform military men. After searching and ransacking the houses and cars in that compound they still took him away.
“We do not know what is going on right now. We do not know whether he is alive or not,” the lady worry.

Dennis Naku