'Dem attack me becos I dey support Atiku'

One pesin dey injured and about four cars destroy afta some jaguda boys suspected to be political thugs attack di Port Harcourt residence of former Rivers Senator, Lee Maeba.

Sen. Lee Maeba wey be supporter of di People's Democratic Party PDP Presidential Candidate Atiku Abubakar and also di Chairman of di PDP Presidential Campaign Council for Rivers State say di attack dey come becos of im support for Atiku.

E tell tori pipo say im be receive phone call from an unknown number wey warn am say some pipo dey come attack im house but e no take am serious and drive comot with some of im security to visit im mother-in-law and moments later, di attack happn.

"A young man call me with unknown number say I don do am favour before but make I dey careful if I dey house as dem get instructions from either goment or some quarters to attack my house and attack me.

I drive comot with my security personnel to see my mother-in-law. Soon my phone begin ring, my nephew pick di phone come tell me say our house dey under attack."

Sen. Maeba as e narrate how di attack happun say,

"Di hoodlums shoot gun at my gate and force am open. Dem climb di second gate and tie up di security man, collect im phone and enta di compound dey shout, "wia im dey, one bullet go solve dis Atiku problem."

Dem descend on my senior brother wey bin dey stand dia, beat and wound am. Dem hit di front door but dem no fit access di house and so dem go back." Sen. Maeba tok

Di attackers also destroy some cars wey bin dey inside di compound and break dia windscreens and also scata tins inside di security house for di compound.

Sen. Maeba emphasize say im support for Atiku no be enough reason for im to dey attacked in dis democratic dispensation and so call on security agencies to investigate di mata thoroughly.

"Yes I be Atiku supporter but how dat get to do with attacking my house in a bid to kill me? Dis na democracy and I be democrat. I no get any plan to harm anybody.

I call di Police Commissioner, call DSS, send pictures to di IGP no response. Na later two policemen come, say dem come to assess di situation. I say for distress situation like dis only two pesin waka come?" Maeba tok.

Rivers state goment reply

Rivers State Commissioner for Information Chris Finebone don ask security agencies to thoroughly investigate di attack on Sen. Lee Maeba.

Finebone also call on Sen. Maeba to help di security agencies for dis investigation to know wetin cause di attack on im house so dem go bring those wey dey responsible to justice.

"A report from Sen. Lee Maeba for social media show say im get call from a young man and di caller, for im own words say, dem get instructions from either goment or some quarters to attack im house. Dat one make am obvious say Sen. Maeba suppose help security agencies to discover di purported attack on im house and those wey dey behind am.

E no dey enof to blame such an attack on either goment or some quarters. Make im try remember exactly who di caller say send am." E tok.

Di Rivers State Information Commissioner, Finebone come observe say e no dey strange to find say politicians go stage high level melodrama to either cover up dia tracks or muddle di waters to achieve a narrative dem don first plan before, to deceive di public for political reasons especially for a time like dis.

E come assure say di Rivers state goment working with security agencies go continue to render all possible assistance for security agencies to ensure safety of lives and property in Rivers State at all times.

Meanwhile, Police for Rivers State say dem don begin investigate di incident.

Police tok-tok pesin SP Grace Iringe-Koko confam to BBC Pidgin say di Commissioner of Police Okon Effiong don direct Tactical Teams to investigate di incident and bring di culprits to book.

Oda similar alleged attacks

Police still dey investigate di attack on some supporters of di People's Democratic Party for Omuma local goment area of Rivers state, South south Nigeria wey happun for November, 2022.

Di victims na supporters of di presidential candidate of di PDP for di 2023 election, Atiku Abubakar for di state.

Dem bin go post Atiku presidential campaign posters and billboards before di attack happun.

Rivers na one of di state wia di Govnor, Nyesom Wike dey quarrel wit di party since dem do di presidential primary for June.

One Nnamdi Nwogu bin share video of one alleged supporter of oga Atiku wey dey hospital wit injuries. Di victim dey bleed for di video. 

E say, “as we dey paste di posters some pipo see us na so dem go back  go mobilize more dan 30 boys wit guns and machetes and start to attack us becos of say na Atiku poster,” Nwogu tell tori pipo.

Di PDP presidential campaign council for Rivers state bin say dem no go over look di incident like dat.

Tok-tok pesin for di council for di state Leloonu Nwibubasa ask Govnor Wike caution im supporters.

E also ask di commissioner of police, Okon Effiong to “fish out doz behind di attack.” 

Nwibubasa add say, "We dey distressed and very worried say di Rivers political environment dey descend into dis kain low level of political animosity. So we no go take am lightly."