Barely four (4) days to the re-run elections of the State and National Assembly in Rivers State, impeccable sources informed this weekly that over one million illegal and dangerous fire arms have been smuggled into the state.
Information had it that most of the firearms used in Libyan war and the north-east of Nigeria had found their way into Rivers State.
The concentration of the illegal arms in the various communities of the state is the preparation of this Saturday’s re-run elections. Politicians are threatening fire and brimstones.
Build-up to the re-run polls, violence erupted in several communities that claimed the lives of so many especially in the Ogoni and Onelga axis of the state.
According to Dr. Dakuku Adol Peterside, the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress in Rivers State alleged that no fewer than thirty four (34) members of his political party were brutally murdered by the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP. Last week a young man simply identified as Mr. Ofingite Amachree was gruesomely murdered and his corpse burnt by hoodlums in Buguma, the headquarters of Asari-Toru Local Government Area.
The APC chairman in Ward 4 in ONELGA, Franklin Obi was killed and beheaded alongside his wife and son by yet to be an identified gunmen.
Killings have been the order of the day in the state. There is no day passes without a news of gruesome murder of a citizen in Rivers State. The state has become the bedrock of political violence, controversies and killings.
Though the state governor, Chief Barr. Nyesom Wike had repeatedly said that the recent violence in the state has nothing to do with politics but cult clashes and cult related activities.
Since the beginning of this week the supporters of both PDP and APC are trading words which undoubtedly instill fears into the minds of the residents. As a result of the influx of illegal firearms in the state, most of the eligible voters have vowed that they will not exercise their franchise on the day of the re-run polls, but to remain indoors.
According to them, if the security situation improves they will act otherwise. Due to the high wave of the insecurity in the state ahead of this Saturday’s re-run election business owners have closed shops to avoid looting or any other unpleasant experience. Also residents have started leaving the state for fear of unknown.
Meanwhile security agents have arrested a former council boss in one of the Kalabari speaking LGAs. The ex-LGA chairman (names withheld) was arrested with no fewer than ten (10) AK 47 rifles in Port Harcourt on Monday. The erstwhile council chairman who is in police net is a strong member of the All Progressives Congress, APC.
At the time of going to the press, the APC chieftain is facing interrogation and we learnt that he is giving useful information to the police.
In a related development, the police high command has declared the Caretaker Committee Chairman of Asari-Toru Local Government Area of Rivers state, Sobomabo Jackrich, popularly known as Egberipapa, wanted.
According to a statement signed by Sotonye Wakama, the Deputy Inspector-General of Police, the former militant leader was declared wanted following the raid on his homes and hide-outs, where operatives found AK-47 rifles and other weapons.
The statement also confirmed the arrest of Asinton Jackrich, Ipalibo Jackson, Destiny Lawson and Godknows Cotterel in the raid, adding that the suspects are currently being prosecuted at the Magistrate Court in Port Harcourt, the Rivers state capital.
It would be recalled hat the suspects were arrested after a coordinated raid by the police where an AK-47 rifle and other offensive weapons were recovered from them. Others who are now at large include one Sobomabo Jackrich and have been declared wanted by the police,” the statement read in part.
It would be recalled that Egberipapa had denied being involved in gun-running and other criminal activities. He criticized Rotimi Amaechi, the former governor of the state, for referring to him as a militant despite his acceptance of the amnesty.
Earlier this year, a group of armed soldiers raided the residents of another ex-militant leader in Rivers, Chief Solomon Ndigbara (also known as Osama bin Laden).
Sources said that some rooms in Ndigbara’s Bua-Nyeghe home were ransacked, while some property inside the rooms were damaged.###
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