The Chairman of All Progressives Congress (APC) Rivers State, Tony Okocha has set up a 9 Man Panel of Inquiry to look into the bombing of the party’s secretariat along Aba Road, Port Harcourt on the eve of the Rivers LG elections.
Okocha who spoke to journalists after the inaugural State Executive Committee Meeting of the APC held at its secretariat, said he inaugurated the Panel after the party’s entreaties to the Rivers State Government to include the bombing of the secretariat in Governor Fubara’s Commission of Inquiry fell in deaf ears.
“We reminded the Governor of the bombing of the APC State Party secretariat as reported by the Police when he set up a Commission, or Panel of Inquiry to look into the remote and immediate causes of the burning of some LGA Councils in the State, as well as the bombing of the Rivers State House of Assembly Complex.”
“For this meeting, my colleagues have asked we address you to let you know that the Governor has proven that APC can go to hell. The essence of government is to protect lives and properties of the citizenry.
“On this note, we have agreed, since we now have a full house, to set up our own Panel of Inquiry to look into the remote and immediate causes of the bombing of the Rivers APC State Secretariat on 5th of October, 2024,” the Rivers APC Chairman said.
The 9- Man Panel led by Barr. Kelechi Nwuzi as Chairman and had Barr. Bethel Philip Samson as Secretary was mandated to unravel the remote and immediate causes of the bombing of the Rivers APC Secretariat and empowered to invite anybody, including the Governor to appear before it.
They were charged to do a thorough job and given one month to submit its report to the APC for necessary action.
Okocha who earlier recalled the court order barring the Police and DSS from participating in the Rivers State LG elections and the alleged invasion of RSIEC Office by the Governor and his team on the eve of the LG elections to stop police who allegedly wanted to take over the office, showed journalists Police Press statement detailing the bombing of the Rivers APC Secretariat and Obio/Akpor Council.
According to the press release which came from the Police Public Relations Officer, SP Grace Iringe-Koko of the State Police command, two explosions occurred on Saturday the 5th of October,2024 in Port Harcourt.
The PPRO’s words: “The first explosion was reported at the APC Secretariat on Aba Road at approximately 3.00 AM. A security guard reported hearing a loud bang, and upon investigation, observed three black Toyota Hilux speeding away from the scene. The explosion caused significant damage, destroying the gate and shattering windows of the building. Additionally, the security building was set ablaze.”
“The second explosion occurred at Obio/Akpor Council Secretariat at around 3.30 AM. Eyewitnesses reported seeing a black Toyota Hilux van and a white Toyota Sienna minivan drive past the secretariat.
The occupants of these vehicles allegedly threw an object suspected to be a stick of dynamite, which shattered the roof and caused damage to the generator house of the complex.”
In response to these incidents, the Explosive Ordinance Disposal (EOD) and Anti Bomb Squad have been mobilized to both locations. An improvised explosive device (IED) was recovered at the APC Secretariat, the team has identified the use of incendiary materials in the arson of the security building,” the statement said, stressing that the Anti-Bomb Squad had collected samples from both scenes for forensic analysis, adding that investigations were on going to apprehend the perpetrators of the heinous acts. Other members of the Panel were, Barr. Darlington Dike, Barr. Rex Nworgu, Hon. Abibo Tammy Bereniye, Hon. Dr. Theresa Egwere Chima, Engr. (Dr.) Eunice Gam, Prince A. Obene and Amb. Vincent Gbosi.
