The JTF spokesman, Col. Onyema Nwachukwu, told Sunday Mirror that “As at January 3, 2014, six suspects with arms were arrested during a routine patrol at Ogu community in Ogu/Bolo local Government Area and items recovered were seven AK-47 riffles, 164 rounds of ammunition and six locally made cannon launchers”. Continuing, Nwachukwu said, “They (the suspects) were handed over to Nigeria Police yesterday.
They were arrested for illegal possession of fire arms and not for any reason of political or social affiliation as being wrongly insinuated.”
Nwachukwu was reacting to a report in an on-line portal that speculated that the suspects were linked to the Senator representing Rivers East Senatorial District in the Senate, George Sekibo, and leader of the anti-Governor Chibuike Amaechi lawmakers in the State House of Assembly, Evans Bipi.
The report gave the names of the youths as Sunday Elisha, Uche Jenikachi, Ibinabo Lawson, Okechukwu Okoro, Jerry Tonye and Daniel Ibito- Anga, and said they were arrested with arms and ammunition.
According to the report, the youths were caught with seven AK-47 assorted riffles, 146 rounds of 7.62mm special life ammunition and 10 life magazines, among others.
The report however confirmed that the youths were yesterday handed over to the police by the JTF for investigation and prosecution. In his own reaction however, the Rivers State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Mr. Ahmad Muhammad (DSP), denied being aware of the arrest and hand over of the suspects to the police.
“I am not aware of the The Joint (Security) Task Force (JTF) in Rivers State has denied reports that the six youths it arrested conveying arms to Ogu in Ogu/Bolo Local Government Area of Rivers State are affiliated with any politician in the state The security outfit charged with keeping peace in the Niger Delta region said there was no evidence that the youths had any link with or acting on behalf of any politician in the state.
The JTF spokesman, Col. Onyema Nwachukwu, told Sunday Mirror that “As at January 3, 2014, six suspects with arms were arrested during a routine patrol at Ogu community in Ogu/Bolo local Government Area and items recovered were seven AK-47 riffles, 164 rounds of ammunition and six locally made cannon launchers”.
Continuing, Nwachukwu said, “They (the suspects) were handed over to Nigeria Police yesterday. They were arrested for illegal possession of fire arms and not for any reason of political or social affiliation as being wrongly insinuated.”
Nwachukwu was reacting to a report in an on-line portal that speculated that the suspects were linked to the Senator representing Rivers East Senatorial District in the Senate, George Sekibo, and leader of the anti-Governor Chibuike Amaechi lawmakers in the State House of Assembly, Evans Bipi.
The report gave the names of the youths as Sunday Elisha, Uche Jenikachi, Ibinabo Lawson, Okechukwu Okoro, Jerry Tonye and Daniel Ibito- Anga, and said they were arrested with arms and ammunition.
According to the report, the youths were caught with seven AK-47 assorted riffles, 146 rounds of 7.62mm special life ammunition and 10 life magazines, among others.
The report however confirmed that the youths were yesterday handed over to the police by the JTF for investigation and prosecution. In his own reaction however, the Rivers State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Mr. Ahmad Muhammad (DSP), denied being aware of the arrest and hand over of the suspects to the police. “I am not aware of the arrest or hand over of suspects to the police by the JTF,” Muhammad said.
When contacted, the Leader of the anti-Amaechi lawmakers in the state House of Assembly, Mr. Evans Bipi, also denied being aware of the arrest of any of his supporters, insisting that none of his political associates would be linked to carrying arms and ammunition. “I am not aware of any such arrest of any of my supporters or associates. That report linking me to anybody arrested by the JTF is a frame up and cheap blackmail”, he said.
Source: National Mirror
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