Hoodlums attack residences of APC, PDP chieftains in Rivers 

Dakuku Accuses Wike Of Violent Attacks On Politicians
Barely 24 hours before the presidential and national elections in the country, residents in Rivers State woke up to the news of attacks on the two politicians’ residences by suspected assailants

The Guardian learned that residence of Dr. Tamunosisi Jaja; hoodlums who allegedly threw dynamite in his house attacked an immediate past Commissioner of Water Resources.

According to our sources, one of the assailants was neutralised in the process.

The source said one Destiny Iganibo, a member of Grassroots Development Initiative (GDI) and a staff of the Rivers State Road Maintenance Agency was part of the gang of terrorists who invaded the residence of the former Commissioner in the early hours of Friday and ignited dynamites. 

The source said Iganibo was caught by vigilant police officers and has been in police taken into custody.

Similarly, the Director of Media/Communications of Charles Anyanwu Support Initiative, Promise Nworgu has lamented the destruction of the Ulakwo residence of Charles Anyanwu. 

Nworgu noted that the attack, which took place in the early hours of Friday, was happening one week after his campaign train was brutally attacked in Ulakwo Ward 13 during his ward-to-ward tour where several persons sustained various degrees of bullet injuries, including two police officers. 

He noted that the incident was reported to the authorities but the assailants stormed his residence again and threw explosives into his house, destroying properties. 

However, Nworgu condemned the attack, calling on security agencies to unravel, arrest and make the perpetrators face the full weight of the law.

The Police Public Relations Officer, SP Grace Iringe-Koko, was yet to react to the incidents when contacted but promised to get back at the time of filing this report.

Meanwhile, a chieftain of APC in Rivers State, Dr. Dakuku Peterside also condemned the growing violent attacks on politicians in the state, especially those perceived to be opposed to the state government. 

Peterside said several instances where Rivers people have been attacked, harassed, harmed and their residences bombed by Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) without a whimper of reservations from the state government was worrisome. 
 
The immediate past Director General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) alleged that tears, sorrows and blood have been the hallmark of activities trailing the political life of the governor, who he said relishes in crude politics over ideas and decency.

He said, “Hon Chinyere Igwe, serving member of the House of Representatives was also attacked this morning (Friday) and money in his custody seized.

“Same yesterday, prominent Labour Party leaders in Port Harcourt and Obio/Akpor Local Government Areas were harassed and intimidated. Most of the attacks on labour leaders were by known local government functionaries who operated without let.” 

“Our forefathers had a dream of a great state, where ideas, decency, liberty and industry would be the benchmark of political engagements but we have been unfortunate with the present governor, who is anything but responsible and graceful.

“It is a shame that we have such a scenario where a sitting governor would declare his fellow Rivers people enemies of the state and even go ahead to threaten them of dire consequences, hence no surprises of what is being played out today.

“One thing is for sure, a day of reckoning will come for Wike and his cohorts. No amount of injustice meted on Rivers people would go unpunished; the governor will be made to answer for all the charges when the time comes.

“I want to call on Rivers people not to be cowed or feel dejected by the machinations of evil people; this state belongs to all of us and no one man is more Rivers than any of us. We shall resist this dangerous trend and God being on our side, we shall conquer.”