Tag: Rivers communities

Though the general elections are still about six weeks away, residents of Rivers State are already living in apprehension that the elections may be marred by violence.

Their fears, rather than abate with the signing of a peace pact by the three major political parties in the state, have continued to worsen, with pockets of politically-related violence spreading across the state on a daily basis.

Investigations by The Nation have revealed that, in the last one month, many innocent citizens of the state have either been sent to their early graves or are presently battling for their lives in hospitals as a result of injuries inflicted on them during campaign rallies.

The spate of violence across the state has not only heated the political climate in the state, but has also led to a doomsday prediction by political analysts. The All Progressives Congress (APC) has been the main butt of the pre-election attacks that have been stalking the state.

The Niger Delta Peace and Security Working Group (NDPSWG),  a coalition of about 40 civil society organisations working in nine Niger Delta states, recently listed some suspected hotspots in Rivers State, putting security agencies on red alert. The areas listed include Okrika, Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni, Obio/Akpor,  Kalabari and Ogoni.

According to NDPSWG, the prediction of violence during the election is predicated on the attitudes of some  politicians, who it accused of putting personal ambitions above national interests.

The avalanche of attacks came to a head last Tuesday in Okrika when unknown gunmen opened fire at a crowded APC rally. The rally by the state governorship candidate of the APC, Dakuku Peterside, was disrupted by fire explosions, which led to the death of a policeman, and left several people, including journalists, injured.

Okrika is the hometown of the First Lady, Dame Patience Jonathan. It is also the home of an ex-militant warlord, Ateke Tom. The area has been one of the difficult terrains where Rivers APC has suffered so many attacks in the recent past.

On Monday, February 10, leaders of the APC in Okrika had received invitation to a security briefing with the state Commissioner of Police, CP Bature. Prior to the invitation, there were rumours around Okrika to the effect that Mrs. Jonathan had allegedly decreed that the APC must not be allowed to hold its rallies in the two Okrika-speaking local government areas of Okrika and Ogu/Bolo.

Prior to the latest spate of violence, a clash between supporters of the APC and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Obio/Akpor had left about 17 people injured after a serious exchange of gun fire.

The clash, which lasted for several hours, led to a temporary closure of the ever-busy Whimpy Road, Mile 4 in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area of the state, as by-standers and other motorists scampered for safety.

A chieftain of APC in the area, Godwin Chinwo, who claimed that some of his members were severely injured in the fracas, blamed members of the PDP, who he alleged invaded the venue of a meeting with the state governor, Rotimi Amaechi, who was visiting the area, for the violence.

He said: “The meeting was scheduled for members of Ikpoku family in Obio/Akpor Local Government of Rivers State. But it suddenly turned into a political supremacy battle between supporters of APC and PDP. The PDP supporters in the area are desperate. They have been destroying most of the banners of the APC.”

But a PDP chieftain, Clement Ndidi Onwabie, who suffered gunshot wounds during the fracas, alleged that APC was the cause. He said: “We were holding a family meeting when supporters of APC came in their numbers to stop us from holding the meeting.  As we were dragging with each other, one of them fired a gun at the crowd, leading to stampede and confusion”.

On 29th of December 2014, riot broke out in the Ogoni area of the state.  One of the protesters, simply identified as Naaooh, was shot and later rushed to  Barithwaite Memorial Specialist Hospital (BMSH), where members of the Movement for the Survival of Ogoni People (MOSOP) kept watch to prevent any attack.

A week later, MOSOP started another protest on the streets of Port Harcourt. The protest, which was led by former Ogoni student union leader, Comrade Simeon Waayii, started as early as 7:30 am from Rumuokuta to Isaac Boro Park in Mile 1 axis of Port Harcourt. Waayii was arrested by the police and later released after some political leaders in the area intervened.

In the Ogu/Bolo Local Government Area of the state, the fear of political violence has become the beginning of wisdom for most politicians from the area.

On 21st of January 2014, several campaign billboards belonging to the APC were destroyed by suspected PDP thugs. Speaking later on the incident, the Caretaker Committee Chairman of the local government, Hon. Mina Tende, who went into hiding over the alleged plan to assassinate him, said he was being threatened by a chieftain of the PDP in the area.

Speaking with The Nation, Tende alleged that the factional Speaker of Rivers State House of Assembly, Hon Evans Bipi, a chieftain of People Democratic Party (PDP), was after his life. He alleged that Bipi had never hidden his desire to have him dead. He said the PDP leader had always said at both private and public fora that he would unleash his men on members of the opposition.

He said: “My life is under threat because I insisted that APC billboards should not be demolished by agents of the PDP in my area. Because I said there should be no interference in the activities of my great party the APC, they have listed me as one of those to be eliminated.”

However, when contacted, Hon. Evans Bipi accused the APC chieftain of blackmail. “I am surprised that the Caretaker Committee Chairman of Ogu/Bolo Local Government Area could accuse me of planning to assassinate him. He is my friend, so why should I kill him? I know he is looking for cheap popularity to get Governor Amaechi’s attention.”

In  Ogba/Ebema/Ndoni Local Government Area, APC leaders are protesting what they described as unprovoked attacks on its members in the area. The APC chairman in the area, Hon. Felix Ejechi, said  party offices, buses, houses and properties have been destroyed and vandalised by agents and forces of darkness, who he said are hiding under the umbrella of opposition in the state.

He said: “On the 6th and 7th of December 2013, the then local government headquarters office of our party, situated at No.188 Ahoada road, Omoku, was destroyed and our properties vandalised.  One of our elders, late Chief Godspower Ahiaidu, was murdered in his house.

“On the 12th and 13th of April, 2014, there was another attack and destruction of our party office. The damaged and plundered office is still there for all to see. As law-abiding and peace-loving citizens of this great country, we decided to relocate the LGA headquarters office of the party to No.13 Ahoada Road. On the early hours of Wednesday, 28th January, 2015, the residence of APC ward 8 chairman in Ogbogu (Egi) in Ogba/Egbema/ Ndoni, was attacked by unknown gunmen. His daughter was hit by bullets and his property was destroyed.

“More recently, in the early hours of January 11, 2015, the Okrika LGA, APC party secretariat and the campaign office of the APC candidate, Dr. Dakuku Peterside, was attacked. Campaign billboards and posters were destroyed. The APC secretariat is located in Abam Ama, a community that shares borders with Oba ama, hometown of Nigeria’s First Lady, Patience Jonathan. This incident was reported to the Rivers State Police Command and the Police High Command in Abuja the same day. Till date, the police have done nothing.

“Again, on the early hours of Saturday January 24, 2015, some PDP members attacked the venue of the proposed APC governorship rally. They destroyed properties, burnt cars and attempted to prevent the rally from holding.”

Some All Progressive Congress (APC) chieftains in Rivers State have described the continued attacks on the party as a case of impunity and political bitterness. They described the arrest of some APC supporters in the state in connection with the destruction of PDP billboards as unjust and an act of desperation, adding that politicians in the state must play issue-based politics.

The   Chairman, Caretaker Committee of Khana Local Government Council, an APC chieftain, Chief Gordon Tornwe, said PDP leaders’ desperation would not allow them to ask for those responsible for the destruction of APC billboards in the state.

It will be recalled that a few days after the signing of the peace accord, the gubernatorial candidate of the APC, Dr. Dakuku Peterside, expressed displeasure over the agreement. He said he had no confidence in the peace agreement entered into by governorship candidates of political parties in the state.

Dakuku described the agreement as a worthless exercise. He chronicled the series of attacks which his party and its members have suffered since the signing of the peace agreement, adding that the police had done nothing to stop the trend.

Dakuku said: “Last time we signed a peace accord, a week after we were supposed to go to rally, our secretariat was burnt. Several of our members sustained injury and were admitted in hospitals; we formally lodged a complaint to the police, but till today, nothing has been done.

“We went for a rally in Yege, GoKhana Local Government Area, but our people were chased away with guns and knives by some people. Nobody has heard anything about it till today.”

Speaking on the political violence and other issues, the Rivers State Police Command, in a statement, however, denied any involvement in the crises.

The Police statement read:  “The Rivers State Police wishes to react to the statements credited to one Chief Tamuno William, a stalwart of All Progressives Congress (APC) in Okrika Local Government alleging that the command refused to investigate attacks on their party offices in Okrika and also failing to provide them with security for their planned rally in Okrika town.

“To put the records straight, the command will not fold its arms and allow the attacks on APC facilities in Okrika or any other political party’s facility to go into oblivion. Investigations on the cases are still in progress. They are assured that sooner than later, perpetrators of the attacks will be brought to book.

“On the later allegation, the command is surprised that it came immediately after the meeting with all political stakeholders from Okrika Local Government and Commissioner of Police that held in his office on Wednesday 11/02/2015, where deliberations mainly focused on the need to maintain peace, promote non-violence politics and avoid unnecessary interference in the affairs of a political party by another. At no time did the command tell anybody that it would not guarantee security of a rally anywhere in the state. Instead, the command, along with other security agencies, are assessing situations in Okrika with a view to re-assuring the party of the required adequate security.

“The command further restated its resolve to remain apolitical and provide adequate security for all political parties and ensure that the full wrath of the law is visited on any person(s) who dare and wish to test our capability.”

The Special Adviser on Media to the state PDP Chairman, Jerry Needam, also denied all the allegations levelled against the party. He said the PDP cannot be responsible for the attacks on APC supporters.

Needam posed: “How can anybody say that the PDP is responsible for the attacks on the APC? If you say that, so who is responsible for the attacks on PDP supporters?”.