Wike Escapes Assassination Attempt

The Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, is said to have escaped an assassination attempt on Saturday when operatives of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad and a group of soldiers attacked his convoy. In a statement by Mr Simeon Nwakauda, the Special Assistant to the Governor on Electronic Media, said the security agents were in the motorcade of Rotimi Amaechi, The States Minister of Transportation.

The attack took place on Saturday afternoon at Nwanja Junction on Trans-Amadi Road in the state capital, while Wike was on a project inspection tour. Involved in the attack was the Commander of Rivers SARS, Mr. Akin Fakorede, who received the minister of transportation at the Port Harcourt International Airport and accompanied him on his trip.

“The SARS personnel and soldiers in the minister’s convoy mowed down the governor’s escort rider and attacked the policemen in the pilot car.

“Mr. Seimeikumo Debewari, Aide-De-Camp to the Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, supervised the attack, which led to the damage of cameras held by journalists.

News gathered reported that the Governor was unhurt as he continued with his inspection mission. The Minister, who spoke through a statement issued by his Media Office, described the governor’s claim as a blatant lie, insisting that he (Amaechi) was the person that escaped assassination.

Reacting, the State Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. Nnamdi Omoni, said there was no attack on the governor, describing the incident as a mere altercation between the governor’s security details and those of the Minister.

Omoni, however, disclosed that the State Police Commissioner, Mr. Ahmed Zaki, had ordered that policemen involved in such altercation should be arrested.

“There was no attack on the governor. What happened was that the governor and the minister’s convoys ran into each others and there was an altercation. The State Police Commissioner has intervened and ordered the arrest of policemen involved in the act,” Omoni stated.

“However, while the SARS officers stepped down to assault the security personnel of the governor, the soldiers remained in their vehicle watching the scene,” the statement added.