“Sharing of N200,000 venue rental fee paid by APC caused violence –Police
Eric Olusesan/Port Harcourt
Rivers Police Command has reacted to the violence that nearly marred the campaign rally yesterday, 19th of January 2023, by the All-Progressive Congress (APC) at Rumuwoji community town hall/playing ground in Port Harcourt City Local Government Area of Rivers State.
According to the Police, there was political coloration to the violence as no rival political party attacked members of APC .
In a press statement signed by SP Grace Iringe-Koko, Spokesperson to the Command, before the commencement of the rally, the internal crisis within the community over which faction should control the community playing ground/town hall arose.
“It was alleged that the Community Development Committee, CDC, Chairman collected the sum of two hundred-thousand-naira (N200,000.00) from APC as payment for renting the playground/town hall. Incidentally, he shared the money to only the Chiefs and members of his faction.
“The other faction that didn’t benefit from the sharing insisted that the hall would not be used, except and until they were giving their share of the money.
Police further said the squabble consequently led violence leading to the injury of two persons.
The Command emphatically said “The fracas was not between members of APC and any other political party, but between the internal factions within the said community. The Deputy Commissioner, DC, Operations, Area Commander Port Harcourt, the O/C SIB and DPO Mile one Diobu, were on ground to intervene and restore peace and security at the venue. Thus, the fracas did not affect the APC rally, which ended peacefully”.
Police dismissed the reports that there were twin explosions at the venue.
“There was no explosion before or during the rally. However, the Commissioner of Police has directed the DC State CID and O/C Bomb Disposal Unit to investigate and confirm the veracity of the rumour currently making the rounds on social media'”.
The Rivers State Police Command further pointed out that “Rumuwoji community is factionalized into two; not divided on political party lines, rather factionalized as a result of Chieftaincy tussle. The fracas was defined in these lines.”
Police enjoined members of the public to go about their lawful businesses and maintain peace. The Command reiterates that it is committed to protecting life and property of all residents in Rivers State.
However, in earlier reports, Darlington Nwauju, Publicity Secretary of APC was quoted as implying that there were explosions at the venue of the rally which was targeted at making sure that the party was barred from holding it rally at Community playground.
It is worthy of note that the Mile Divisional Police Station, Diobu,Port Harcourt, is a stone throw to the Rumuwoji playground, venue of the rally.