Two soldiers who were injured during the March 9 governorship and state legislative elections have related how they were allegedly tortured by policemen attached to the governor of Rivers State, Mr. Nyesom Wike.
Vanguard reports that the victims, Capt. Adams Salami and Cpl. Adeosun Adebayo, who are in the intensive care unit at the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital, said they were left with life-threatening injuries after attackers pounced on them at the Obio/Akpor local government secretariat.
“At about 2300 hours, we got information that hoodlums were trying to invade the Obio/Akpor Collation Centre. We were asked to provide security in the area, which we did, with policemen posted there. We agreed that there would be limited access to the premises.
“Five minutes later, the governor’s convoy came with about 30 to 40 cars with hoodlums. Some were in police uniforms, shooting sporadically within the premises. As usual, we decided to step back. I was pleading with them as a soldier to resolve this amicably,” Salami recounted.
For his part, Adebayo said: “The policemen in the governor’s convoy started hitting us with their weapons. I could not figure out the reason because nobody asked anybody any question. The policemen were hitting us with the nozzle of their rifles.”
Similarly, three supporters of the All Progressives Congress (APC) who worked as party agents for the African Action Congress (AAC) alleged that the governor abducted them.
However, in his reaction, the state commissioner for information, Mr. Emma Okah said those behind the allegations are jesters.
“They are clowns. No such thing happened. The APC and their ally AAC failed in the election. They are doing everything possible to divert attention from their failure. Why would anybody abduct them?
“Of what use is their adoption? They should bury their head in shame,” he said.
