…Investigation has been initiated, PPRO

By Daniel Abia

Rivers state government has expressed disappointment over what it described as the lopsided service of the Nigerian police in the discharge of its constitutional responsibilities of protecting lives and property in the state.

Reacting to the clash that occurred between the supporters of the Martins Amaewhule, factional speaker of the state House of Assembly and that of the state Governor, Siminalayi Fubara at health center on Wednesday, the state Commissioner for Information, Hon Joseph Johnson, in a telephone interview alleged that it was unheard of for a security personnel whose responsibility is to protect the lives of the citizens to rather do things that would endanger them.

Johnson alleged that police went to one of the health facilities at Eliozu in Obio/Akpor local government area of the state and fired some canisters of teargas thereby causing panic. “The only action I condemn in all that happened on Wednesday is that the Nigerian police who went to one of the medical centers and detonated canisters of teargas.

“The Nigerian police is still locking down the 23 local government councils. The Amaewhule people detonated dynamite last time close to the Presidential Hotel, police said they were investigating and nothing has come out of it till today.

“In October last year, the life of the state Governor, His Excellency, Sir Siminalayi Fubara was threatened when he went to observe the extent of damage done to the Assembly complex when it was gutted by fire. Up till now, police has not arrested anybody.

“Police is against the Rivers state government. Amaewhule and co had boasted that the police was on their side. I can begin to see that the boast is now beginning to show. For somebody to throw teargas into a health center where you have people with different health conditions, pregnant women and babies and police has not arrested anybody, tells a lot”.

 At Eliozu, it was gathered that some youths alleged to be loyal to the factional speaker of the state assembly, Amaewhule, attacked the event organised by the state for aged women, women and children in the area.

It was learned that the state government had through the local government organised a medical outreach for women and children in the LGA, carried out by officials of the State Ministry of Health.

However, the project venue was attacked by some youths who are believed to be working for the anti-Fubara elements in the state.

It was gathered that while the attack was going on men of Anti Riot Squad drafted from the State Command had arrived at the scene with heavy gunfire and canisters to quell the situation. Police was alleged to have blocked aged men and women from gaining access to the Health facility.

However, the Public Relations Officer of the state police, Grace Iringe-Koko, a Superintendent of Police, noted it as two fighting.

“A distress call was received from the health centre in the Eliozu community today, 24th July 2024, where supporters of two separate political factions were engaged in a fight.

“The police responded by sending operatives to the scene to restore law and order. The police deployed anti-riot tactics, including the use of canisters, to disperse the crowds. An investigation into the matter has been initiated.”