Re-run Polls: Bloodshed Continues in Rivers State

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Re-run Polls: Bloodshed Continues in Rivers State

By Correspondent

Information getting to our newsroom shows that there was sporadic shooting in Abonema area of Port Harcourt, the state capital of Rivers State on Sunday as results were being collated in the rerun polls for some federal and state legislative seats in the state. The shootings, according to reports, went on for about 30 minutes, resulting in panic and seeing people around Mile 1 and Azikiwe road asking for help. As at the time of filing this report, the cause of violence could not be confirmed. More so, heavy shootings were noted last night which resulted in a serious stampede in Rumuola and Rumuigbo areas of Port-Harcourt. It was gathered that the shooting in Rumuigbo, where Tony Okocha, APC House of Representatives candidate for Obio Akpor Federal Constituency is based took place around 8.00 p.m. and caused many pedestrians to take flight. In the evening of yesterday, one person was reported to have been feared dead, while two others were said to have sustained gunshot injuries during a fierce shooting at UTC junction on Azikiwe road. The governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Dakuku Peterside, alleged that he was the target for assassination as the gunmen opened fire on the vehicle conveying him, his running mate in the last general elections, Asita and the Chairman of his party, Davies Ikanya. Peterside, in a statement by his media aide, Sylvester Asoya, stated that his police orderly, Emma Esi sustained gunshot injuries and was rushed to the hospital. Asoya added that, “Two Jeeps belonging to Emeka Woke, Nyesom Wike’s Chief of Staff, carrying two unknown gunmen trailed us to UTC Junction and opened fire on my car. Our car, however, did a detour first to Aba road, then to old GRA with the two jeeps still trailing us. We drove to the DSS office to seek refuge and on getting to the gate the unknown gunmen opened fire again at the DSS men on guard. “The exchange of fire between the DSS men and the assailants lasted for more than 30 minutes. In the course of the exchange of fire, my Police detail, Cpl Emma Esi was shot at and seriously injured. This is a very ugly experience, but I thank God that my colleagues and I escaped unhurt. “When the DSS men demobilized the two jeeps, we found out that the man at the back of the car who was identifying us to the assailants was Wike’s Chief of Staff, Emeka Woke. He has been arrested by the DSS. On his part, the state governor, Nyesom Wike, insisted in his address before newsmen in Government House that the aide to his Chief of Stafff, Mr Emeka Woke, died in the shooting. The governor added that he had instructed his Chief of Staff, Woke to monitor the rerun election result of Ikwerre Local Government (the local council of former governor Chibuike Amaechi) to wherever they were taking it to in the state capital. Governor Wike also accused Peterside and his team of allegedly opening fire on his Chief of Staff, adding that the aide of his Chief of Staff died immediately from the incident. He said, “As I talk to you now, my Chief of Staff said his aide had been shot dead. Dakuku and his team trailed him from Isiokpo where he had gone to monitor the movement of result from Ikwerre local government area and shot him around UTC junction.”

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