From Tony John, Port Harcourt
Rivers State Commissioner of Police Olatunji Disu has stated that there was no evidence indicating an assassination attempt on the factional Speaker of Rivers State House of Assembly, Edison Ehie.
Disu stated this on Monday, while fielding questions from journalists on the trending report of an attack by armed thugs led by policemen at the private residence of the lawmaker in Port Harcourt, on Sunday night.
The state police boss explained that preliminary investigations showed that police officers were on routine patrol, adding that he had not received any official complaint concerning the incident.
He said: “The preliminary investigations we have done so far this morning have not revealed any assassination attempt.
“All I knew was that police officers were on convoy patrol. It is a routine thing. And, we have made frantic efforts to get across to the leader to give us any information he has, so that we can include it in what we already have.
“So far, so good; there is nothing to worry about. And my plead to him and every other person is, if there is any complain, my number is going to be made public. They should call me quickly and I will quickly look into it. For now, I haven’t received any official complaint.”
Meanwhile, a press release had emanated from a source identified as Ken Uchendu, Legislative Correspondent, Rivers State House of Assembly, with the allegation that there was an assassination attempt on the factional speaker of the Assembly on Sunday.
In the trending report, Uchendu claimed: “At about 11pm on Sunday the 19th day of November, 2023, a group of armed thugs and rogue Police Officers led by one SP. Irikefe London Owen, a Superintendent of Police attached to the CTU B 3 RSV and CSP Salihu Masalachi attacked the private residence of the Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Barr. Edison Ogerenye Ehie, DSSRS, fully armed with an intention to assassinate Mr. Speaker and his family.
“However, the thugs and rogue Police officers led by the two above-named police officers in Rivers State were vehemently repelled in a gun battle by the official security details attached to the Speaker, Rt. Hon. Barr. Edison Ogerenye Ehie, DSSRS.
“It is imperative to note that the armed rogues and officers were properly and fully captured by CCTV footage in the residence, which shall be made available to all media Houses, including the CNN, Aljazeera and other national and international media outlets for the records.
“In the same vein, the Speaker would be addressing a World Press conference on Monday the 20th of November, 2023.
“Let it be on record that Rivers people, boys, girls, women, men including the aged shall in our numbers occupy the streets stark naked in demonstration against the Nigeria Police and those sponsoring violence in Rivers State, no matter how highly placed. Rivers people will resist them.
“Finally, should there be a breakdown of law and order in Rivers State, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu should hold the above-named Officers, the Rivers State Police Command and their sponsors in Rivers State responsible.”
At the time of filing the report, there was no briefing by Ehie, as he was quoted as saying, “I will call you guys when I want to do my Press briefing.”
Meanwhile, the leadership of the Rivers State House of Assembly Press Corps has denied knowledge of the source of the trending press statement, Ken Uchendu, who claimed to be a Legislative Correspondent.
Ehie was the former Leader of the State House of Assembly. He was removed at the wake of the crisis that erupted at the Assembly, where majority moved for the impeachment of the governor.