Angry Mob Attacks Cross River Police Station, Accuses Cops Of Robbery, Barely 24 Hours Police Storm Rivers Judiciary Complex

       

Odogwuemekaodogwu.blogspot.com reports that an angry mob today attacked the Obanliku Police Station in Obanliku Local Government Area of Cross River State, after it was alleged that some policemen at the station were involved in a robbery incident.

This is barely 24 hours about 30 policemen, forced their way into the Rivers State judiciary complex in Port Harcourt, leading Justice Daisy Okocha into the place for a meeting with judges in the state.

It was learnt that the angry youths burnt down motorcycles and vehicles that were parked within the station’s premises as early as 4am after a prominent son of the town was robbed and killed by the suspected police robbers.

An eyewitness, Mr. Clement Ojong, who identified the dead victim as Sylvester, said the incident happened in the early hours of the day.

Ojong said, “We got the information around 4am that one of the sons of Obanliku who is a businessman that deals in petroleum products was robbed and shot dead by robbers in his house. His name is Sylvester.

“We also learnt that Sylvester shot one of the robbers before he was killed and the police had deposited the two bodies at the morgue of Sankwala General Hospital. The youths insisted on accompanying the police to the morgue to see and identify who the dead robber was.

“Incidentally, the dead robber was discovered to be a police officer serving here in Obanliku. The youths then got angry and invaded the police station. The Divisional Police Officer and other policemen on duty ran away for fear of being lynched. The youths in their anger set fire on bikes and some vehicles that were parked in the station and some documents that they seized from the station.

“They had planned to burn down the station but for the fact that there are aware that the building housing the station is a rented house. The Area Command has waded into the matter now and calm has returned to the town. We are all working together now to see how the issue can be amicably resolved.”

When contacted, the state Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. Hogan Bassey, confirmed the incident, adding that the matter was still being investigated.

Bassey said, “The case was reported at Obanliku, it is under investigation. The investigation will reveal those who are involved.”

Meanwhile ,Odogwuemekaodogwu.blogspot.com  gathered that Justice Okocha had notified judges in the state last week of her intention to meet with them yesterday.

There was, however, a slight drama at the gate of the judiciary complex when the Caretaker Committee Chairman, Port Harcourt City Local Government Area, Mr. Nnamdi Nweche, made attempt to go into the court premises, shouting that he is a lawyer.

Fierce looking anti-riot policemen ordered him and his loyalists to stay away from the premises.
Nweche, who later spoke to newsmen some distance away from the gate to the complex, said it was shocking that anyone could break into the place while judicial workers in the state were on strike.

He said: “I am shocked to learn that some unknown persons are holding a meeting inside the court building. This is unacceptable because judiciary workers are on strike and the gates have been locked to prevent illegal entry into the court premises. Nobody has a right to go into the court premises when the judiciary workers are on strike.”

The state Commissioner of Police, Mr. Dan Bature, who breezed into the court premises in company of some top officers of his command, warned media men and others who were milling around to leave the area.
As if waiting for the Police boss to voice the words, his men started firing canisters of tear gas, an action that sent everybody running for safety.

Meantime, the Rivers State Government has condemned the action of the state Police command, saying it was shocking that a state Police Commissioner could supervise the illegal action of his men.

The state Commissioner of Information and Communications, Mrs. Ibim Semenitari, who spoke to newsmen, described the forceful entry into the judicial premises as illegal.
She said that the action of the Police yesterday was part of an alleged move to open the state House of Assembly complex for anti-Amaechi lawmakers to impeach the governor.

“We woke up to the shocking news of an illegality supervised by the Commissioner of Police. Rivers State Government is worried about the series of unprovoked attack on Rivers people. Rivers people were tear-gassed. We are scared that we are returning to a Police state in Rivers State.”