Tension escalated on Sunday night as armed individuals, suspected to be police officers and political thugs, forcefully entered the home of Edison Ehie, the factional Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly in Port Harcourt.
In a statement signed by Ken Uchendu said to be Legislative Correspondent of the State House of Assembly and sent to newsmen described the attack as an assassination attempt.
The statement alleged that the head of a police tactical unit in the state, along with unidentified others, carried out the attempted assassination.
It issued a stern warning, holding senior police officers accountable for any harm that might befall the new Speaker and his household.
The statement assured the public that CCTV footage capturing the incident would be released for confirmation and record purposes.
Quoting the statement, “At about 11 pm on Sunday, November 19, 2023, a group of armed thugs and police officers attached to the CTU B 3 RSV attacked the private residence of the Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Edison Ehie, fully armed with an intention to assassinate Mr. Speaker and his family.
“However, the thugs and the police officers were vehemently repelled in a gun battle by the official security details attached to the Speaker.
“It is imperative to note that the armed rogues and officers were properly and fully captured by CCTV footage in the residence, which shall be made available to all media houses, including CNN, Aljazeera and other national and international media outlets for the records.
“Let it be on record that Rivers people, boys, girls, women, men including the aged shall in our numbers occupy the streets naked in demonstration against the Nigerian Police and those sponsoring violence in Rivers State, no matter how highly placed, Rivers people will resist them.
“Finally, should there be a breakdown of law and order in Rivers State, President Bola Tinubu should hold the Rivers State Police Command and their sponsors in Rivers State responsible.”
