By CHARLES ONYEKWERE, ABAKILIKI
A Chieftain of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Eze Chukwuemeka Eze, has condemned in the strong terms the reintroduction of arms into Rivers State.
Recall that on June 25, 2024, there was an incidence of detonation of an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) near Hotel Presidential in Port Harcourt, during a protest embarked on despite warnings from the Commissioner of Police against engaging in the procession for serious security concerns.
In a statement made available to AljazirahNigeria, Eze said the protest was a mere tactic contrived by those he described as ‘sore losers’ as a cloak to unleash mayhem in strategic locations in the state including Hotel Presidential, where members of the Senate Committee on Privatization who were in the state for an oversight function were lodged, to give a national colouration to their vain call for state of emergency.
Eze, expressed fears that investigations into the incidence may be marred by undue interference as reports are ripe that the Force Headquarters is under pressure to transfer the prime suspect in the explosion to Abuja where the chief-proponent and provocateur of the Rivers political crisis, holds sway as territorial Minister.
He called on the Inspector General of Police to resist any pressure to scuttle investigation into the incidence to unravel the masked-man of influence fueling armed conflict in the state to topple the administration of Govenor Siminialayi Fubara who has so far shown rare competence in steering the business of government in the state.
Similarly, he urged the Rivers State Commissioner of Police to extend invitation to the protesters particularly their leaders, including House of Reps Member Hon O.K. Chinda, former Speaker, Rivers State House of Assembly, Martin Amaewhule, former Chairman, Obio/Akpor Local Government Area, George Ariorlu and others.
According to him, the invitation is necessary to offer them the opportunity to explain the rationale behind their action which was in gross disobedience of a serious warning from the police against embarking on their ill-fated expedition which turned out to be a scene of bloodshed.
He commended the State Commissioner of Health for her proactiveness in deploying strategies to identify the detonator of the IED and ensuring that he is resuscitated from his unconscious state, gains stability to be able to give useful information to the Police to aid their investigation.
