Illegal Trading: 100 Arrested, As Hoodlums Attack Task Force Personnel

About 100 hoodlums arrested after they attacked personnel of the Rivers State Task Force on Illegal Street Trading, Markets and Motor Parks will be charged to court today.
The task force coordinator, Bright Amaewhule who disclosed this to newsmen at the weekend said the hoodlums had swooped on his men who were enforcing the mandate given to the task force at Rumuokoro in Obio/Apkor Local Government Area of the State.
This, Amaewhule stated amounts to an extention of threat to his life and those of his family since he assumed office and started work as the task force coordinator.
While noting that he will continue to discharge his duties, Amaewhule further said that the hoodlums, including suspected cultists, numbering about 200 used dangerous weapons to attack his men and pelt stones at them in a bid to prevent them from carrying out their duties.
He further disclosed that of the 200 hoodlums, about 100 of them were arrested with the help of security agencies attached to the task force and handed over to the police for interrogation and prosecution.
“First of all at Oil Mill, we were attacked by some suspected cultists and criminal gangs. The suspects are at large and we are believing that we will surely apprehend them.
“While we proceeded to Rumuokoro surprisingly, a group of suspected cultists and criminal gangs came out with arms, machetes and stones to attack us.
“They (hoodlums) were over 200 that attacked us and we were able to apprehend about 100 of them, including the two gang leaders. We have taken them to Operation Sting and they have made useful statements. We will take them to court on Monday,” Amaewhule said.
He however noted that the attack on his men would not deter the task force from sanitizing and decongesting roads in the state.
“I stand firm and because I am working with the spirit of the Almighty God I fear no man and I fear no evil and not even any kind of attack on threat to my life.
“I have been receiving threat on my life and even against my family in the last two, three weeks, but that cannot deter me. I have assured my family that nobody should be afraid of anything. God is on our side!
“We will continue to do our work in so far as we are not witch hunting anybody, either an individual or group of persons. We will do that work which the Governor of Rivers State has assigned to me and my team to do in the State,” the task force coordinator stated.

Dennis Naku