Police confirm gunmen attack on checkpoints in Rivers; Gov. Wike condemns action
By Desmond Ejibas
Port Harcourt, April 25, 2021
The Police Command in Rivers said it has launched a manhunt for gunmen who attacked its checkpoints on the Port Harcourt – Owerri Road on Sunday.
This is as the Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike strongly condemned what he described as the barbaric and dastardly attack on the security personnel stressing in a statement, that “there is no justification for such a heinous and condemnable attack targeted against innocent security personnel on legitimate duty of protecting life and property in the State.”
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) gathered that the attack which occurred on Ikwerre Local Government Area stretch of the road, reportedly led to the death of some security operatives.
A source who pleaded anonymity said that several patrol vehicles belonging to the security operatives were set ablaze by the gunmen.
The Spokesman of the command, SP Nnamdi Omoni, who confirmed the attack in a statement in Port Harcourt on Sunday, said details of the attacks were still sketchy.
Omoni, however, did not disclose the number of casualties in the attacks.
He said: “I can confirm the attack on security personnel along the Omagwa/Isiokpo/Elele – Owerri Road, and details are sketchy.
“The Commissioner of Police, CP Eboka Friday, has launched a full scale investigation into the dastardly attack with a view to arresting the perpetrators and bringing them to justice.
“Meanwhile, the area is now calm with reinforced and increased joint patrols on the stretch of the road and other areas in the state by security agencies.
“So far, the state is calm and secure, and no cause for alarm,” Omoni stated.
NAN further gathered that the checkpoints attacked by gunmen included checkpoints manned by the Joint Military Task Force (JTF) and Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) located between Elele, Isiokpo and Omagwa communities in Rivers.
In a statement by Kelvin Ebiri, his Special Assistant (Media) Governor Wike said: “The Government of Rivers State is saddened by the unwarranted callous attack on security personnel. We offer our sympathies to the relatives of those who lost their lives in the attack.
“We condemn this heinous act, share the grief of the security agencies and convey our sincere condolences.”
The governor, who charged the security agencies to be vigilant, affirmed that the Government and people of Rivers State stand in solidarity with security agencies at this difficult time of this unwarranted and mindless violence.
Governor Wike, has therefore demanded that the perpetrators of the attack must be fished out and brought to justice.
