…Seeks Buhari’s Intervention In KELGA Killings
The Chairman of Ikwerre Local Government Council, Hon. (Engr) Samuel Nwanosike has declared that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) remains unstoppable in his Local Government Area, and cannot be swayed by intimidations or threat to the lives of party chieftains.
Speaking on the attempt on his life by suspected assassins during a PVC sensitization rally at Ipo Omademe community last Wednesday, Nwanosike said the attack was masterminded by the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC) whom he accused of playing politics of desperation, intimidation and assassination.
The furious Ikwerre Local Government Chairman alleged that the plan to kill him on Wednesday was hatched and directed by the Minister of Transportation, Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, owing to what he said was the overwhelming popularity of PDP in KELGA.
Substantiating his accusation, the fearless KELGA boss and former Publicity Secretary of PDP in Rivers State said a security report prior to the event revealed a grand plan to disrupt any rally by the PDP in Ikwerre LGA, using a notorious criminal, one Kenjika Jonathan, popularly called ‘School Boy’, who has been on the police wanted list.
Nwanosike disclosed that he got a tip about a meeting on Tuesday, November 6, 2018 between the Transportation Minister and five chieftains of the APC in Ikwerre LGA, with some hoodlums, including ‘Schoolboy’, wanted by the Rivers State Police, with a tag of N20 million on his head.
“In that meeting, I was told that Amaechi gave clear instructions to the criminals to attack any PDP rally and ensure to cause as much mayhem as they can, so that PDP will not find it easy in Ikwerre Local Government Area. Amaechi’s worries stem from the fact that the high level of popularity of the PDP in KELGA is a big threat to his image as a senior Minister in Buhari’s government.
“And to that effect, if I am eliminated, the coast would be clear for Amaechi and the APC to have their way in the forth coming General Elections”, Nwanosike narrated.
On getting the report, the KELGA boss said he immediately summoned an emergency Security Committee meeting in his office, with all security heads, including Police, SSS and the Civil Defence in attendance.
“I told them that because INEC had informed us in writing that they are about to display the voters register for those who registered from January to August, it is wise for us to move round the LGA, to sensitize the people on the need to pick up their PVC so they can participate in the 2019 elections”, the Chairman said, adding that he extracted an assurance from the security chiefs to beef up security in all venues of the party’s rallies.
Giving kudos to security agencies for keeping faith with their promise to secure the venue, Nwanosike noted that the very first rally held on Thursday, November 7, 2018 at KELGA Ward 2, Isiokpo, was not only a huge success, but was incident-free.
The KELGA boss further added that the PDP train later moved to the home town of the Transportation Minister, Ubima, same day, recording yet another successful rally, despite earlier fears of its notoriety as a flash point where killings, kidnapping and beheading, reportedly become rampant.
Then the unthinkable happened as the train moved to Ipo-Omademe, KELGA Ward 10, venue of the PVC Sensitization rally.
“As one of the leaders of the community stepped out to welcome us, we heard sporadic shooting from all sides. There was pandemonium but as God would have it, the security men attached to me were able to provide cover, but they were just few.
“At that instance, rather than reach for my vehicle, I hopped into an armored personnel carrier that was on patrol on that road. While on that vehicle, I was able to peep through the window where I saw Kenjika Jonathan, a wanted criminal. He was wearing a yellow T-shirt and Police bullet-proof vest.
“I also saw Nyeche from Omadegu; I saw Kere Boy from Ubima and another young man, whose name I don’t know but I could recognize his face any day. They were shooting at innocent people and severally at my bullet proof vehicle believing I was in there”, said the KELGA Chairman.
On the casualty figures, Nwanosike said the figures were being ascertained but stated that a PDP member who ran into the forest with bullet wounds was yet to be seen as at the time of the media briefing.
“Several search parties have combed the forest without seeing him or his corpse. We don’t know where School Boy, whose stock-in-trade is killing and cutting off heads, may have taken him to”, he said, adding that he had reported the matter to the Police Commissioner and all relevant authorities including the State Governor, who is the Chief Security Officer.
He said it became necessary to alert the people of the State on what seems to be a new trend of the APC, ‘to ensure that every person in Ikwerre Local Government, who is not subservient to the beck and call of the Transportation Minister, must be killed’.
The KELGA Chairman called on President Mohammadu Buhari to uphold the oath he swore to protect the lives of all Nigerians irrespective of socio-political, economic and religious affiliation, adding that “Mr. President should also know that Ikwerre Local Government, which is still under his jurisdiction, has over 54 oil wells and two flow stations. He should call his Minister for Transportation to order”.
He went on: “I am using this medium to call on President Buhari to understand that the wanted criminal, Kenjika Jonathan, aka ‘School Boy’ has killed a lot of Nigerians and the security outfit in Rivers State watch him and his gang moving freely in the streets, causing crime at will.
“We are saying that we know that the security architecture of this country rests solely on the table of Mr. President and we are calling on him, that we are aware that he is about to flag-off his presidential campaign for a second term but who will he be campaigning to in Ikwerre Local Government if ‘School Boy’ finished killing all members of our local government and those who live and do business in the area”.
He also called on the Inspector-General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, to treat the matter with dispatch, rather than swept under the carpet, as his life and that of people of the LGA, are at risk.
Meanwhile, Hon. Nwanosike has said that the kidnap and murder of one Samuel Nwanjoku who was a member of the APC in Ikwerre LGA is condemnable and appealed to security agencies to investigate the killing and arrest those behind it.
