Alhaji Abubabaker B. Tsav, a retired Commissioner of Police resident in Makurdi, Benue State, has condemned in its entirety, the recent breach of protocol between the security details of Governor Nyesom Wike and the Minister of Transport, Rotimi Amaechi, in Rivers State. The breach culminated into momentary disorder and creative tension in the unnecessary show of power which ultimately spilled over to accusations and counter-accusations of assassination plot.
Tsav, in a statement, decried that “the recent ugly, bloody clash in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, between Governor Nyesom Wike’s Police Escort and that of Minister of Transport, Rotimi Amaechi, both Nigeria Police personnel, is not only o threat to national security but a the behavior of the security officers was inconsistent with the regulations of the respective Forces, saying that the Police have become partisan and politicized.
Tsav construes the Police as independent institution of the Nigerian State not owned by any political party in power or the president who appoints the Inspector General of Police.
Accordingly, Tsav declared: ‘Indices show that our Police is partisan and politicized. There should be mutual cooperation, decorum and espirit de corps between our Police personnel and not silly public relations of rivalry to satisfy their Political masters.” He maintained that, “The Inspector General of Police (IGP) should do something about this” to restore the values of the Force.
After the incident, Governor Wike had declared that he escaped assassination attempt that Saturday after soldiers and men of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), on the convoy of the Minister of Transportation, Chibuike Amaechi had ca clash with Wike’s convoy.
The fracas had occurred at Wanja junction on the Trans-Amadi road, Port Harcourt.
The Governor’s media aide, Simeon Nwakaudu, had in a statement, narrated that the incident happened at Nwanja junction, Trans Amadi road when the governor was inspecting ongoing road construction in the area. The statement said the governor’s Out Rider was hit by the convoy and Policemen in the Pilot car attacked. It was indicated that Wike was not hurt, and that he continued with his inspection of the road project after the incident.
It was narrated that Sergeant Eteng, who was beaten streamed blood on his face, while the AK-47 rifle of Sgt. Princewill Ubaji was taken away by the Rivers governor’s convoy. Amaechi claimed his car was damaged in the encounter.
On the other divide, Rivers APC spokesman, said that an outrider of Wike’s convoy threatened Amaechi with a gun.
But Wike’s aide had highlighted: “The governor, who was on project inspection, was attacked at Nwanja Junction on Trans-Amadi Road.
“The SARs personnel and soldiers in the minister’s convoy hit down the governor’s escort rider and attacked the policemen in the pilot car. Debewari, Aide-de-Camp (ADC) to the minister of transportation, supervised the attack, which included damage of cameras held by journalists.
“Also part of the attack was the Commander of F-SARS in Rivers State, Akin Fakorede (a Chief Superintendent of Police), who received the minister of transportation at the Port Harcourt International Airport and accompanied him on his trip.”
Amaechi’s media office had narrated that the clash of the convoys occurred on Trans-Amadi Road, Nwaja axis and involved cars of many of Amaechi’s supporters.
He said the Minister’s black jeep was intercepted and blocked at the junction by the security motorcycle outrider attached to Wike after two cars had passed through.
The Aide in a statement further narrated: “One of the two cars had security men assigned to protect the minister in Port Harcourt.
“Suddenly, gun-toting security men attached to Wike’s convoy surrounded the Minister’s car, threatening to shoot him. They hit the car, tried to smash the windscreens, back and side windows and broke a side mirror.
“All through this attack, Amaechi remained calm, inside the fortified Jeep. While the attack occurred, Wike remained inside his vehicle.”
He admitted that the minister eventually passed through after the intervention of the security team on ground to protect him in Port Harcourt.
“However, when Governor Wike got to the point where the incident occurred after Amaechi’s vehicle had gone by, his security men blocked the road again, dragged out from a vehicle and thoroughly beat up a police man attached to protect Amaechi in Port Harcourt. The Policeman’s rifle was also taken from him,” the minster’s media office said.
The Amaechi media office alleged that Wike’s security men were heard loudly insulting Amaechi and calling him derogative names.
In an earlier statement, the Rivers APC was emphatic that Wike’s outrider wanted to kill Amaechi, but for the fact that Amaechi was inside a bullet proof car.
“A report made available to us by an associate to Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi who happened to be in the same car with the Minister indicates that Governor Wike’s outrider pulled a pistol to assassinate Rotimi Amaechi but missed his target after which Amaechi’s ADC, Debiwari intervened to save the Minister from further assassination attempt”, the APC had claimed in a statement by Chief Eze Chukwuemeka Eze.
Moreover, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in a statement by the Head, Publicity Division of the party, Chinwe Nnorom, on behalf of the National Publicity Secretary, described the development as an invitation to anarchy in Rivers State.
The Party had declared: “The PDP is once again constrained to draw the attention of President Muhammadu Buhari to another assassination attempt by his Minister of Transport, Rotimi Amaechi, on the Governor of Rivers State, Chief Nyesom Wike … Saturday, November 11, 2017, in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
“The convoy of Governor Wike was ambushed by a contingent of security apparatus led by the commander of Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), in Rivers State, Mr. Akin Fakorede, and supervised by Amaechi’s ADC, Mr. Debewari. “These constant harassment and attempt on the life of Governor Wike is an open invitation to anarchy and another plan of the APC to ignite crisis again in Rivers State.
“The public is aware that the Minister of Transport has been making attempts on the life of Governor Wike, and in all of the attempts, the Commander of SARS in Rivers State, Mr. Fakorede, is ever ready to lead the ill-advised onslaught,”
Calling on President Buhari to order the immediate transfer of the SARS commander, the PDP remarked retaining Fakorede in Rivers would translate to an endorsement of his actions by the President.
“We condemn this attack in very strong terms and call on President Buhari to order the immediate transfer of Fakorede of SARS out of Rivers State.
“Any delay in effecting this change will be taken that President Buhari is fully in charge of these ugly activities in the State.
“We are also calling on the international community to take note of these chains of activities that are carefully planned by the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and being executed by the Minister of Transport, Rotimi Amaechi,
“If anything happens to Governor Wike or his immediate family and aides, the APC and Amaechi should be held responsible,” Rivers PDP had declared.