The Nigeria Police have commenced official
investigation into the crisis that rocked the
last Tuesday’ s All Progressives Congress
( APC ) governorship rally at Okrika, Rivers
State .
Assistant Inspector General of Police ( AIG ) ,
Zone 6, Tunde Ogunsakin , who disclosed
this on Saturday, said the investigation
followed an order by the Inspector General
of Police ( IGP ) , Suleiman Abba .
It would be recalled that gunmen invaded
the venue of the APC rally on Tuesday,
shooting sporadically, detonating explosive
devices , which led to the death of a police
officer , while several others sustained
various degrees of injuries.
According to Ogunsakin , the IGP ’ s order
was for an immediate and thorough
investigation into the causes of the crisis
and to bring the culprits to book as soon
as possible.
The investigation , it was learnt started on
Friday with one arrest made, even as a
panel has been constituted for the probe ,
which is expected to last for few weeks .
A source from the office of the AIG , Tunde
Ogunsakin said the investigating penal was
poised to ensure that a thorough job was
done to bring all culprits in the crisis to
book.
Giving details, Ogunsaki said : “There is no
time limit for this investigation , but I
assure you, it is going to be a thorough
investigation as we will cover all the
grounds, ” he said .
According to him, he has received the
cooperation of all the major political actors
mentioned with regards to the incident.
He indicated that he would summon an
enlarged meeting of Okrika stakeholders,
including political parties ’ leaders, religious
leaders, traditional rulers and youth
leaders.
Ogunsakin said the police had to involve
the relevant stakeholders to ensure that
such incident did not occur again in any
part of the state .
Ogunsakin pledged to uncover and
prosecute those behind the killing of the
policeman, describing the death as sad and
painful , said everything possible would be
done to unmask the perpetrators and bring
them to justice .
The AIG who was miffed at the death of an
officer at the rally, he would “go to the
root of what happened so that his death
would not be in vain .’’
Meanwhile , the APC has assured its
followers that it would return to Okrika,
Okrika Local Government Area to hold its
botched governorship rally.
The party’ s state chairman, Davis Ikanya ,
maintained that APC is determined to take
its message of change to the people of
Okrika.
He said no amount of intimidation would
stop the party from holding its rally in
Okrika, saying the area is a part of Rivers
State and that the party has the
constitutional right to canvass for votes in
all parts of the state .
“Yes, we ( APC ) will go to Okrika to
campaign . We will still organise our
campaign there . We cannot be intimidated
because Okrika is part of Rivers State .
“If the Peoples Democratic Party , PDP , can
campaign in Okrika why can’ t the APC
campaign in Okrika?
Ikanya who condemned the attack on
members and supporters of the APC by
yet- to -be unidentified by gunmen at the
National School Field , Okrika, venue of the
rally, described the PDP as ‘ lawless ’ .
“The PDP is a lawless party . The PDP does
no honour any agreement. The PDP has
integrity.
“The PDP has a misguided approach to
governance. Instead of allowing all political
parties to campaign freely and let the
electorate vote , they are shooting guns.
“Yes, we have signed two different peace
accords with the PDP . Sadly, the PDP has
violated all known agreements.
“The PDP is not fit to ask for anybody to
vote for them . PDP attacked our members
a day after we signed the first peace
accord .
The APC chairman regretted that the police
had repeatedly assured the party of giving
its members adequate protection during
our campaigns only for PDP thugs to
attack our members and destroy our
property .
On whether the APC still has confidence in
the police following its complain that the
police has not been able to arrest one
culprit in the series of attacks against the
party, Ikanya said the police are under
pressure from the centre and in order to
balance the pressure , the APC suffers .
He however said the party had confidence
in the police to carry out its constitutional
duties of protecting lives and property , but
urged the security agency to be fair to all .
investigation into the crisis that rocked the
last Tuesday’ s All Progressives Congress
( APC ) governorship rally at Okrika, Rivers
State .
Assistant Inspector General of Police ( AIG ) ,
Zone 6, Tunde Ogunsakin , who disclosed
this on Saturday, said the investigation
followed an order by the Inspector General
of Police ( IGP ) , Suleiman Abba .
It would be recalled that gunmen invaded
the venue of the APC rally on Tuesday,
shooting sporadically, detonating explosive
devices , which led to the death of a police
officer , while several others sustained
various degrees of injuries.
According to Ogunsakin , the IGP ’ s order
was for an immediate and thorough
investigation into the causes of the crisis
and to bring the culprits to book as soon
as possible.
The investigation , it was learnt started on
Friday with one arrest made, even as a
panel has been constituted for the probe ,
which is expected to last for few weeks .
A source from the office of the AIG , Tunde
Ogunsakin said the investigating penal was
poised to ensure that a thorough job was
done to bring all culprits in the crisis to
book.
Giving details, Ogunsaki said : “There is no
time limit for this investigation , but I
assure you, it is going to be a thorough
investigation as we will cover all the
grounds, ” he said .
According to him, he has received the
cooperation of all the major political actors
mentioned with regards to the incident.
He indicated that he would summon an
enlarged meeting of Okrika stakeholders,
including political parties ’ leaders, religious
leaders, traditional rulers and youth
leaders.
Ogunsakin said the police had to involve
the relevant stakeholders to ensure that
such incident did not occur again in any
part of the state .
Ogunsakin pledged to uncover and
prosecute those behind the killing of the
policeman, describing the death as sad and
painful , said everything possible would be
done to unmask the perpetrators and bring
them to justice .
The AIG who was miffed at the death of an
officer at the rally, he would “go to the
root of what happened so that his death
would not be in vain .’’
Meanwhile , the APC has assured its
followers that it would return to Okrika,
Okrika Local Government Area to hold its
botched governorship rally.
The party’ s state chairman, Davis Ikanya ,
maintained that APC is determined to take
its message of change to the people of
Okrika.
He said no amount of intimidation would
stop the party from holding its rally in
Okrika, saying the area is a part of Rivers
State and that the party has the
constitutional right to canvass for votes in
all parts of the state .
“Yes, we ( APC ) will go to Okrika to
campaign . We will still organise our
campaign there . We cannot be intimidated
because Okrika is part of Rivers State .
“If the Peoples Democratic Party , PDP , can
campaign in Okrika why can’ t the APC
campaign in Okrika?
Ikanya who condemned the attack on
members and supporters of the APC by
yet- to -be unidentified by gunmen at the
National School Field , Okrika, venue of the
rally, described the PDP as ‘ lawless ’ .
“The PDP is a lawless party . The PDP does
no honour any agreement. The PDP has
integrity.
“The PDP has a misguided approach to
governance. Instead of allowing all political
parties to campaign freely and let the
electorate vote , they are shooting guns.
“Yes, we have signed two different peace
accords with the PDP . Sadly, the PDP has
violated all known agreements.
“The PDP is not fit to ask for anybody to
vote for them . PDP attacked our members
a day after we signed the first peace
accord .
The APC chairman regretted that the police
had repeatedly assured the party of giving
its members adequate protection during
our campaigns only for PDP thugs to
attack our members and destroy our
property .
On whether the APC still has confidence in
the police following its complain that the
police has not been able to arrest one
culprit in the series of attacks against the
party, Ikanya said the police are under
pressure from the centre and in order to
balance the pressure , the APC suffers .
He however said the party had confidence
in the police to carry out its constitutional
duties of protecting lives and property , but
urged the security agency to be fair to all .
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