...Gunmen kill leader of Ahoada West LGA Assembly
…Governor Wike calls IGP to fish out killers
Daniel Efe/Port Harcourt
Suspected Pirates armed with sophisticated weapons raided the Bakana Jetty last night Thursday January 31, after shooting sporadically to scar people and carted away Seven boats.
Confirming this incident in a telephone interview, the president of Bakana Federation, Francis Dick, narrated that the suspected pirates stormed the jetty after shooting sporadically, towed away the speedboats anchored at the jetty.
According to Bakana Youth Leader, Francis Dick, no casualty was recorded but the shooting that lasted for about half an hour caused panic making coastal residents scamper for safety.
“Late last night, some armed hoodlums stormed the Bakana jetty, shot sporadically, loosen the packed boats and towed seven of them away. In less than an hour, they made a return trip to steal more. But residents who were already awake challenged them before they fled, but not without shooting severely.” the Youth leader said.
He further revealed that “Along the coastline of Bakana, there are a lot of illegal activities of the Niger Delta youths. When they steal the boats, the highly priced item on it are the Engines on the stolen speedboats, which they easily sell off. The Engines are very expensive in the boats market.
“This is a regular occurrence. In the second week of January similar incident happened.”
In a related development, the Leader of the Ahoada West legislative Assembly, Ekele Chikobi Cohen, popularly known as “EFCC” was shot dead last night, January 31, along the now notorious Ahole-Emohua axis of the East West road.
Eyewitness report has it that Chikobi Fyneface Ekele, while
traveling in the convoy of the Lawmaker representing Ahoada West Constituency
in the Rivers House of Assembly, Augustine Wanaka Okpokori, when they were
ambushed by gunmen who opened fire at them killing Ekele, while scores of
others sustained bullet wounds.
“In the melee, the hoodlums whisked away some of the
passengers into the bush. The deceased lawmaker were returning to Port Harcourt
after the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, ward to ward campaign ahead of the
general elections”.
The killing of the young politician has elicited anger among the Ekpeye Youth umbrella body who has called on the security agencies to overhaul the security along the East West road, especially the Emohua stretch.
They also accused the Policemen along that route of connivance. They also called on the youth leaders of Rumuji, Elele, Ndele and Emohua to call their youths to order to avoid reprisal attacks, stating that the killing of the young Ekpeye politician is one too many in recent weeks and month.
In both incidents, the Rivers State Police Command has not made
comments on both incidents.
Meanwhile, the Rivers State Government has called on the Inspector
General of Police, Department of State Services and other security agencies to
fish out the killers of Ahoada West LG Legislative Assembly Hon Ekele Fyneface
Chikobi Cohen popularly called EFCC Chiko in the social media.
EFCC Chiko, a social media influencer, was killed yesterday around
Rumuji along East West Road when unknown gun men opened fire on the convoy of
the PDP House of Assembly Candidate Hon Wanaka Augustine Okpokiri, killing EFCC
Chiko and abducting some others in their convoy heading to Port Harcourt.
Similar fate befell the driver of a popular motor company heading
to Benin a few days ago around the same area.
This call was made today in Port Harcourt in a statement issued by
the Rivers State Commissioner for Information and Communications, Emma Okah.
“Time has come for the Government and people of Rivers State to ask more questions as to the security of lives and property in our State and the role and effectiveness of security agencies” Okah said, noting that the death of EFCC Chiko after a campaign rally in his LGA is unacceptable.
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He said that despite threats to the other innocent people in
Rivers people, the State Government has continued to find ways to end this
quagmire by supporting security agencies but enemies of progress would not
agree.
“Recall that the establishment of the Rivers State
Neighbourhood Safety Corps Agency was a direct response to these challenges but
some prominent Rivers sons instigated the Nigeria Army to shut down the
recruitment process for their selfish political ends” Okah said, adding
that violent crimes like the death of EFCC Chiko would have been averted if the
Agency had commenced operations.
“Rivers State Government considers this death and the others
like it, a direct affront to the security agencies and Rivers people demand
that they rise to the occasion if they want us to believe their strength and
impartiality”.
On our part, we shall continue to do everything within our powers
as government to get the perpetrators of this crime to book in no distant time,
the statement added.
As a Government, we call on the Inspector General of Police not to
go the way of his predecessor who politicised Rivers State security and didn’t
consider the lives and property of Rivers people a priority despite repeated
demands. He must show his presence in the arena.
Hon. Ekele Fyneface Chikobi Cohen (EFCC Chiko) must not die in
vain.
Meanwhile, the Government commiserates with the wife and family of
the deceased and pray God to comfort them at this time of anguish, assuring
that the State will stand with them at this time.
