PDP crisis: Police withdraw security details of Rivers Speaker

The Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Hon. Otelemaba Dan-Amachree, yesterday raised the alarm over the withdrawal of police orderlies and escorts to some officials of the state government, including himself.

Dan-Amachree, in a statement in Port Harcourt alleged that the withdrawal of the security details by the state Police Commissioner, Joseph Mbu, would expose them to danger.

The Speaker expressed surprise that the withdrawal came barely 48 hours after he wrote a letter to President Goodluck Jonathan on the plan by some people to unleash mayhem in the state.

He noted that his fears over the state of insecurity worsened by Tuesday’s murder of Mr. Eric Ezenekwe, an aide to the former state Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Chief Godspower Ake, at his hometown in Erema, Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government Area of the state.

Dan-Amachree also reiterated his call for the redeployment of Mbu from the state.

The statement reads: “Sequent to my letter to the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, GCFR, Commanderin- Chief, Nigerian Armed Forces of plans by some persons to unleash mayhem in the state, the Commissioner of Police, Rivers State, Mbu Joseph Mbu, has unceremoniously withdrawn the Police Orderly and Escort attached to me.

“Recall that I have earlier expressed my fears about plans to withdraw security operatives from the governor and top officials of the Rivers State government, including me, making us vulnerable to attack by hoodlums.

“Now my fears are made worse by the recent murder of an aide to Chief G. U. Ake, Mr Eric Ezenekwe, at his Home Town in Erema, Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government Area of Rivers State.

“On this premise, I still stand on my earlier call for the redeployment of the Commissioner of Police, Rivers State, Mr. Mbu Joseph Mbu.”

It was also learnt that the security details of the Chief of Staff, COS, to the governor, Chief Tony Okocha were yesterday withdrawn.

In his own case, the security details were allegedly withdrawn on allegations that they harassed officials of the Port Harcourt Club where the Chief Felix Obuah-led PDP state executive was to hold a thanksgiving service on Saturday to celebrate their victory at an Abuja High Court, on Monday, April 15.