RIVERS LG BOSS ARRESTED OVER DESTRUCTION OF JONATHAN’S BILLBOARD

The Rivers State Police Command yesterday arrested the Caretaker Committee Chairman of Omuma Local Government Area of the state, Emeka Nwogu, for allegedly destroying a billboard bearing the portrait of President Good luck Jonathan.
The Rivers State Commissioner for Special Duties, Dickson Umunnakwe, who confirmed the incident, said the chairman was arrested at his Port Harcourt residence. He said the council chairman was accused of directing policemen attached to him to destroy the billboards bearing the portrait of President Jonathan.
He added that the council boss was arrested at the wee hours of yesterday and taken into police custody.
The commissioner said there was no evidence to link the council chairman with the destruction, adding “the council boss is being victimised by the police for no just cause”.
“The caretaker committee chairman of Omuma was arrested yesterday by the Rivers State police command. I called the commissioner of police and he confirmed to me that the council boss was arrested. I pleaded with him to release the man. The chairman of Omuma caretaker committee is known to me and he is not a violent person. I don’t want to believe that he ordered the destruction of Jonathan’s billboard,” he said.
Rivers State Assistant Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Grace Koko, told a radio station in Port Harcourt, that she was not aware of such arrest.
Meanwhile, the Rivers State government and the state chapter of Peoples Democratic Party, are at loggerheads over directives by the state Commissioner for Power, Austin Nwaokocha, that all adverts placed on street light poles in Port Harcourt be removed.
The state chapter of PDP last week hoisted the party’s flag on street light poles located along major streets of Port Harcourt such as Port Harcourt/Aba road, Rumola and Ikwerre road. The state Commissioner for Power, Austin Nwokocha, Wednesday, inaugurated a 50-man task force to effect removal of such adverts.
Assistant Publicity Secretary of PDP, Samuel Nwanosike, said the party would resist any attempt to remove its flags placed on street light poles. He accused Governor Chibuike Amaechi of masterminding the directive to remove the flags.
He said the APC placed giant billboards of the party across the state and nobody removed them. He warned that such directives would lead to crisis and advised the state government to rescind its decision.
Source: Daily Trust