Rivers hunts injured suspect after dynamite explosion

The tension created in Rivers State following continued protest over the tenure of the local government chairmen heightened on Tuesday as an explosive suspected to be dynamite went off in the bag of an unidentified man believed to be among the pro-police protesters in Port Harcourt.

The incident occurred around the Hotel Presidential axis along the busy Port Harcourt-Aba Expressway, but it was not clear if it was during a protest organised by the loyalists of the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, in support of the occupation of the 23 LGA secretariats by the police.

The Rivers State Commissioner for Health, Dr Adaeze Oreh, confirmed the incident, describing it as a malicious attempt to detonate an explosive.

Oreh said, “There was a malicious attempt to detonate an explosive at the Presidential Hotel axis of Port Harcourt.

“Fortunately, it was not successful; it was a failed attempt but in the process, the individual sustained an injury with a traumatic dismembered upper limb and the individual was immediately whisked away from the location.

“Now the Rivers State Ministry of Health is calling for an alert to all medical facilities in the state, both public and privately owned facilities to be vigilant and look out for an individual, a young man with a traumatically dismembered upper limb because this injury, which was sustained will require medical attention.

“If such an individual and their accomplices are presented in any of the facilities, immediately notify the Commissioner for Police, Rivers State and the Rivers State Ministry of Health.

“The individual should be detained in whatever medical facility and a report immediately made to the Commissioner of Police and the Rivers State Ministry of Health.”

However,  when contacted, the spokesperson for the state police command, Grace Iringe-Koko, said she had yet to find out the full details of what transpired, but promised to get back to our correspondent later.

It was alleged that while the protest, which was anchored by some top political associates of the former governor and leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party from different wards in the state, was rounding off when the explosive went off.

It was gathered that the victim was immediately rushed to the hospital for treatment.

Some of the leaders of the protest included Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, Kingsley Chinda, Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Martin Amaewhule, and former Chairman of Obio/Akpor LGA, George Ariolu, and others.

Addressing the protesters, the Chairman of the LGA, Ariolu, said the protest was to support the occupation of the LGA secretariats, saying it was in the interest of peace in the state.

He said: “As the governor said, there is no sacrifice too much for peace. But there is no peace without justice. You must govern by the rule of law. Therefore, we are in support of governance by law not by discretion, not by impunity.

“Rivers State is a state that complies with law and order. We are in support of the position of the Nigerian police. The Inspector General of Police under President Tinubu, has the right to bring peace to Rivers State, even when there are provocative actions that could lead to the breakdown of law and order.

“And so for us, we want to encourage the Inspector General of Police and his men to continue to bring peace and order to Rivers state.

“We want to call on all, to abide by the rule of law. Let public officeholders understand that they must obey the law and order. And as a people, we are taking a peaceful walk of the local government this morning, to talk to the people, and to demonstrate our support for peace and order.”