On Monday morning, suspected political thugs disrupted an All Progressives Congress gathering in the Umunachi town of Rivers State’s Omuma Local Government Area.
The scenario sparked fear in the village, with some natives fleeing for safety, but the rally was finally conducted after the group paid Omuma’s king a courtesy call at his palace.
In response to the event, the APC chairman in Omuma LGA, Onyekachi Ojiegbe, stated that the attack was carried out to discourage APC members from campaigning.
He stated, “What happened here today was an eyesore. Since last night, we have been guarding the equipment with some security agencies that came with us.
“However, around 5.25am, a group of people drove in three Hilux and two Government House police regalia.
“They shot sporadically in the air to disperse our supporters and carted away two generators, vandalised my car beyond repair, and also vandalised the tactical team vehicle of the Area Command, Oyigbo.
“On asking the police why they didn’t react, most of them told me that those were their colleagues. They suspect that they came from Government House. That’s why they could not shoot at them.”
Sogbeye Eli, the state spokesman for the APC Campaign Council, confirmed the attack in a statement on Monday.
Eli demanded that the state police commissioner, Okon Effiong, immediately launch an inquiry and guarantee that those responsible for the attack were apprehended and convicted.
However, the Peoples Democratic Party denied any role in the incident and disputed the claim that assailants included police officers assigned to the government residence.
Chief Ogbonna Nwuke, Director of Publicity and Communications for the Rivers State PDP Campaign Council, dismissed the claim as “propaganda” in a statement.
