The lawmaker representing the Etche/Omuma Federal Constituency, Rt the Hon Ogbonna Nwuke has reacted to Sunday’s invasion of the Omuma Local Government premises and the physical assault on the elected Council Chairman, Mr John Anucha by security forces.
The siege on the council premises, using tanks, armed police and a sprinkle of soldiers is coming against the backdrop of attempts to use the Omuma council premises to launch the GDI by supporters of the Supervising Minister of Education, Barrister Nyesom Wike
The honorable member in a statement issued in Abuja after he had received briefs from his constituents in the area described the roles played by the police as despicable, shameful, unacceptable and undemocratic.
According to him, “Once again, the police apparently acting on the instructions of a member of the Rivers State House of Assembly who claims to be a staunch supporter of Nyesom Wike has demonstrated great disregard for decency and resorted to the use of terror to intimidate the good people of Omuma Local Government in pursuit of narrow parochial political interests.
” We are shocked that such undemocratic methods could be adopted by the police and an elected official who claims the mandate of his people to undermine democratic tenets and the rule of law”.
” We are further amazed that serving soldiers and policemen would allow themselves to be used to unlawfully force open the gate of a council premises in order to encourage the use of council grounds for the launch of a partisan group such as the GDI.
“It is evidence of the abysmal use of security personnel in Rivers State since the arrival of the Commissioner of Police, Mr Mbu to distort law and order and create tension and crisis”.
Nwuke equally remarked, “This is a clear affront on our collective sense of decency; our understanding of society’s preservation of public order and public security; and what is proof of the growing threat to whatever is left of our sense of public morality under the watch of the Commissioner of Police, Mr Mbu.”
The lawmaker who is also a spokesman for the House of Representatives caucus of the Baraje led PDP urged all men and women of goodwill, including rights groups to condemn the Rivers State Commissioner of Police for his penchant for fomenting trouble under the guise of supporting certain interests in Abuja, saying his acts of great indiscretion were becoming alarming and legendary.
The representative noted that the growing misuse of security apparatus, particularly members of the police force, has strengthened the arguments by proponents of state police on the need for it to be introduced as part of our federal system.
He assured that the National Assembly would pay appropriate attention to calls for the establishment of state police when the time comes.
Signed;
Prince Ogbonna Nwuke (MHR)