Villains attack APC campaigners in Rivers

• Party accuses Rivers CP of compromising

• While the police investigate the attack on Abe’s campaign train

Tension between political opposition parties in Rivers State is rising after repeated attacks on their campaign rallies as the 2023 general election approaches.

The PUNCH reported that the campaign train of the state’s Social Democratic Party gubernatorial candidate, Magnus Abe, was attacked with sporadic shootings by suspected political thugs in Ahoada West LGA.

Similarly, the campaign train of Tonye Cole, the gubernatorial candidate of the state’s All Progressives Congress, was attacked on Tuesday in Opobo town, Opobo/Nkoro LGA, kidnapping and later releasing a member of the party.

This was when three members of the APC were given machete cuts during a door-to-door campaign in Omuma LGA amid alleged threats that the party would not be allowed to hold its planned campaign rally in the area.

Speaking to reporters in Port Harcourt on Tuesday, the leader of the APC in Omuma LGA, Onyekachi Ojiegbe, stated that the LGA was not safe for them after activities by armed political thugs.

Ojiegbe revealed that the party had written about 17 different petitions to state police commissioner Okon Effiong and the deputy police commissioner of the state criminal investment department, but they had not yet received a response.

He appealed to the Inspector General of Police to set up a special crack squad and deploy it to the Omuma LGA in Rivers State and the state at large before the election.

The Omuma APC leader warned that if this call is not heeded, there could be a total breakdown of law and order in the area.

He stated: “Omuma is unsafe. We have been living in fear for two years now. We have written to the Commissioner of Police and DC, State Criminal Investigation Department. We have written more than 17 petitions and no attention has been paid to them.

“Recently, our candidate for governor in this LGA was ambushed and attacked. The case was reported to the police and arrests were made and we went to court. At the moment the case is dead. Last Saturday, our members went door-to-door campaigning, they were attacked with machetes. Three of them are still in hospital because they sustained serious injuries.”

Ojiegbe continued, “We are afraid. We don’t know what will happen next. We have a mega campaign on February 6, 2023. I have received several calls that the campaign is off. I call on the IGP and the Director of the Ministry of State Services to come to our aid as the place is not safe.

“We are also calling on the general public to urge the IGP to set up an independent crack team in Omuma. If this is done, these people who cause insecurity will be arrested. It seems that the CP in Rivers State is deaf to our cries and to what is happening in the state.”

Meanwhile, the Rivers State Police Command said it has launched an investigation into the attack on the SDP’s gubernatorial candidate, Abe, on Monday.

Command spokesman Grace Iringe-Koko made the announcement in a statement in Port Harcourt on Tuesday.

However, Iringe-Koko, a police superintendent, described the incident as an attack prior to the rally.

She stated that the command was immediately notified of the attack, deployed the tactical teams and normalcy was restored.

The statement read in part: “There was a pre-rally attack by unknown gunmen on Senator Magnus Abe’s campaign convoy, while he was on his way to a rally at Akinima in Ahoada West Local Government Area. Security personnel attached to him were able to repel the attack.

“Upon receiving the information, tactical teams were immediately dispatched to the area to reinforce personnel previously posted to provide security at the campaign site. The teams were able to restore calm and normalcy to the area, paving the way for a successful rally.”

But an SDP leader disagreed with police, saying the meeting was cut short after the shooting by hired thugs allegedly working for the PDP.