Rivers CP Knocks Atiku/Okowa Campaign Chairman, Accuses Senator Maeba Of Staging Own Attack

The Rivers State Commissioner of Police, Okon Effiong has reportedly accused the chairman of Atiku/Okowa Presidential Campaign council in Rivers State, Senator Lee Maeba of planning and executing the attack on his Port Harcourt residence.

Recall that Senator Lee Maeba, who is currently at loggerheads with Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State, had last week accused hoodlums of invading his residence on Professor Abowei Street, GRA, Phase 3 in Port Harcourt.

Speaking with reporters in Port Harcourt after the unfortunate incident, Maeba had claimed that the hoodlums were after his life for supporting the PDP Presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar.

The former lawmaker said the gunmen injured at least three persons and vandalized about five cars during the deadly attack.

According to Maeba, his neighbors had observed strange movements around his residence before the invasion.

Maeba said a young man called him to warn him about the planned attack, adding that his house was attacked shortly after he went out to visit his mother-in-law.

He also expressed regrets that despite his distress calls to the Commissioner of Police in the state, the Director of the Department of State Services (DSS) and the Inspector-General of Police, no help came.

“My worry is what is my offence that people will come to my compound. Atiku does not live here. I only work for Atiku, yes. I am an Atiku supporter. What has that got to do with attacking my house in a bid to kill me? This is democracy; I am a Democrat.

“I called the Commissioner several times but he did not pick up my calls. I called the Director of DSS, I called the Inspector-General of Police and sent pictures of what has happened here to everybody. No one has responded.

“I only saw two gentlemen who came here and said the CP sent them to come and assess the situation. In a distressed situation, will you send only two men? That is the situation and that is what happened,” the former lawmaker had said.

Reacting while speaking to newsmen, CP Okon Effiong denied ignoring calls from Senator Maeba during the attack.

According to the Police boss, when he later received a call concerning the incident, he mobilized operatives to the former lawmaker’s home.

Effiong said: “I think I was in an operation in Bodo, Gokana Local Government and I didn’t see his call because my phone was in the car.

“But when I received a call later on that report, I quickly mobilised my men and he (Maeba) sent me a message thanking me for my prompt response”

Speaking further, he rubbished claims by Maeba that the alleged gunmen destroyed his gate, wondering why the PDP chieftains exotic cars in his compound when the hoodlums invaded his house were not damaged.

He said: “The compound has two gates. We asked him how they entered the compound and he said through the fence but no part of the fence or the gate was damaged.”

While stating that Maeba has so far refused to write a statement concerning the incident, Effiong added that cars allegedly destroyed by the hoodlums were old model cars.

Warning politicians to leave the Police out of politics, the CP said: “I don’t know what has informed that, but I feel strongly that people should not use the police as a pond in a chess game.”