APC Chieftains in Rivers Raise Alarm over Attacks on Members by Police

Chieftains of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ikwerre Local Government Area of Rivers State have raised alarm over what they described as sustained harassment, intimidation and attacks on members of the APC by the Nigerian Police, particularly men of the police Division in Ikwerre Local Government Area.

The Chieftains at a press conference in Port Harcourt, the state capital, said more than ten members of the APC in the area have either been arrested or detained by the police for no reason since the last one month.

They also alleged that campaign materials of the party have constantly been destroyed in the area.

One of the chieftains in the area and Rivers State Commissioner for Lands and Survey, Eze Monye Ezekiel Amadi, told journalists that the APC has lost one of its members in Ikwerre as a result of the police against the party.

“We have called you here to pour out our sorrows to you in case you can help us prevail on the police to stop their attack on us.

“What we find unaccepting is their political servitude to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)”, Amadi said.

He also called on the Nigerian Police and the police in Ikwerre Local Government Area to show neutrality in the coming election.

He said: “We will also like to let you gentlemen of the press to know that, though our hearts may be heavy and our sorrows many, nevertheless, we shall continue to refuse to be intimidated. We have our right to freedom of association and we are firm about exercising it. Even if we have to lay down our lives for it.

“However, we didn’t say that those who commit offences should go unpunished but what we ask is that the police in our local government should be neutral and abate the unnecessary cruelty on innocent APC members. A partisan police is not a requirement for true democracy. Leadership is not about muscles, is about getting along with people”, Amadi added.