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…CP Disu says no assassination attempt, only routine patrol
By Tayo ABIOLA
The Speaker of a faction of Rivers House of Assembly loyal to Governor Siminalayi Fubara, Edison Ehie, has alleged that on Sunday, a group of armed thugs led by a superintendent of Police attacked his private residence intending to assassinate him and his family.
The Speaker, in a statement issued to journalists in Port Harcourt on Monday morning, however, said his security details were able to foil the alleged assassination attempt after a gun battle with the armed thugs and policemen who accompanied them.
In the statement, signed by his legislative aide, Ken Uchendu, Ehie said the attack took place around 11 pm on Sunday and was fully captured by CCTV, with the promise that the footage will be made available to local and international media organisations.
Ehie also said he will address a press conference, today, Monday the 20th of November, 2023 on the issue.
He said, “At about 11 pm on Sunday the 19th day of November 2023, a group of armed thugs and rogue Police Officers led (name withheld) a superintendent of Police attached to the CTU B 3 RSV and (name withheld) attacked the private residence of the Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Barr. Edison Ogerenye Ehie, DSSRS, fully armed to assassinate Mr. Speaker and his family.
“However, the thugs and rogue police officers led by the two above-named police officers in Rivers State were vehemently repelled in a gun battle by the official security details attached to the Speaker, Rt. Hon. Barr. Edison Ogerenye Ehie, DSSRS.
“It is imperative to note that the armed rogues and officers were properly and fully captured by CCTV footage in the residence, which shall be made available to all media houses, including the CNN, Aljazeera and other national and international media outlets for the records.
Rivers Commissioner of Police, CP Tunji Rilwan Disu has not reacted to the alleged assassination attempt on Ehie or the allegation that the attack was led by two senior Police Officers at the time of filing this report.
It would be recalled that on Sunday night October 29 the Chambers of the Rivers House of Assembly was bombed by unknown persons in a move which was later revealed to be a move to stop the impeachment of Governor Fubara planned by a section of the lawmakers loyal to his predecessor, Nyesom Wike scheduled for the next morning.
However, amid the crisis, lawmakers led by Martin Amaewhule loyal to Nyesom Wike, the Minister of Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Abuja suspended Edison Ehie and some others loyal to the Governor who they accused of being behind the bombing of the legislative chamber.
Fubara was later served an impeachment notice by the Amaewhule-led lawmakers.
But another faction of the House met and appointed Edison Ehie as Speaker allegedly suspending the other Principal Officers of the House.
Subsequently, Fubara proceeded to a High Court sitting in Isiokpo and obtained an injunction restraining the lawmakers loyal to Wike from impeaching him.
“In the same vein, the Speaker would be addressing a World Press conference on Monday the 20th of November, 2023.
“Let it be on record that Rivers people, boys, girls, women, men including the aged shall in our numbers occupy the streets stark naked in demonstration against the Nigerian Police and those sponsoring violence in Rivers State, no matter how highly placed, Rivers people will resist them.
“Finally, should there be a breakdown of Law and order in Rivers State, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu should hold the above-named Officers, the Rivers State Police Command and their sponsors in Rivers State responsible,” Uchendu stated.
However, Rivers Police Command has dismissed the reports
Rivers Commissioner of Police, Olatunji Disu, said that the policemen who Ehie alleged were on a mission to kill him were just on routine patrol.
CP Disu said: “The preliminary investigations we have done so far, this morning, have not revealed any assassination attempt, all I knew was that Police officers were on patrol, convoy patrol. It’s a routine thing and then we have made frantic efforts to get across to the leader to give us any information he has, so that we can include it in what we already have. So far so good, nothing to worry about.
“My plea to him and every other person is, if there is any complaint, my number is going to be made public, they should call me quickly and I will quickly look into it. For now, I haven’t gotten anything like that,” Disu said.
Asked if there has been any formal complaint by the factional Speaker Edison Ehie, CP Disu said: “No. I have not received any formal complaint”.
Our correspondent reports that the Commissioner of Police was answering questions from the Government House Press Corps after briefing Governor Fubara this morning.
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