The Rivers State Police Command
has explained how the attack on the state governor, Siminalayi Fubara, during a
protest at the state’s House of Assembly complex in Port Harcourt on Monday
occurred.
The command described the attack
as ‘not deliberate’, adding that the intention behind the water cannons and
tear gassing was to disperse the protesters and to ensure the protection and
safety of the governor from arsonists who were culpable of causing mayhem on
the premises.
In a statement by the
spokesperson for the state’s command, Grace Iringe-Koko, on Wednesday, it read,
“Following the receipt of credible intelligence on the intention of some armed
group of persons to cause mayhem in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital,
particularly at the State House of Assembly on Monday, October 30, and
recalling the previous case of arson on the State House of Assembly a day prior
which is currently being investigated, the Deputy Commissioner of Police in
charge of Operations immediately deployed armed police operatives which he
personally supervised in order to intercept the ‘hoodlums’ and ensure the
protection of lives and properties within the State House of Assembly facility
and its environ.
“At the complex’s entrance, it was observed that youths numbering over a hundred had begun a protest to gain access to the complex and conduct themselves in a manner likely to cause a breach of peace.
“This led to the police deploying
non-lethal crowd control equipment, including tear gas and water cannons, to
disperse the riotous and uncontrollable protesters.
“However, some minutes later,
another aggressive group of persons approached the entrance of the complex and
advanced towards the premises. The police, therefore, engaged them in like
manner but observed that the Executive Governor of the State, Siminalayi
Fubara, was in their midst.
The police maintained that the
presence of the governor at the scene was of great surprise and shock as there
was no prior communication to the police on the visit of the governor to the
scene of the crime, which ordinarily is the usual protocol and complimentary
that we accompany his guard for proper safety considering the intelligence of
security threat at hand then.
“In consideration of this, the DC Ops quickly
took deliberate security steps to ensure his protection and safety while the
Governor and his entourage went on to assess the level of damage caused by the
fire incident.
“Thus, it’s pertinent to state
that the Police did not deliberately attack the Governor or even attempt to
hurt anyone, let alone the Chief Executive and security officer of the state,
which is our most essential role to protect as being peddled in the news. Due
to the present situation and the misrepresentation in some sections of the
media, it is pertinent to clarify this.
“Similarly, the Rivers State
Police Command has emplaced adequate security measures to ensure that the
situation de-escalates and total calm is restored in the affected areas,” the
statement added.
The police shot water cannons and
tear gas at the entourage of the governor while on their way to access the
premises of the Rivers State House of Assembly Complex, which was reportedly
burnt down following a crisis among the state lawmakers.
It was also learned that tear gas
was used to disperse some lawmakers and protesters after the governor stormed
the complex to prevent his impeachment.
Meanwhile, the governor accused
security agencies of bias and “shooting at him directly” amid the ongoing
crisis in the state.
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