The Rivers state Police Command says it is investigating 2 explosions that rocked the city of Port Harcourt in the early hours of Saturday amid local government election in the state.
In a statement by the Command’s spokesperson, Grace Iringe-Koko, the police acknowledged the explosion at the Rivers All Progressives Congress (APC) secretariat and another one at Rumuodumaya, the council headquarters of Obio/Akpor.
“The first explosion was reported at the APC Secretariat on Aba Road at approximately 3:00 AM. A security guard reported hearing a loud bang and, upon investigation, observed three black Toyota Hilux vans speeding away from the scene.
“The explosion caused significant damage, destroying the gate and shattering the windows of the building. Additionally, the security building was set ablaze.
“The second explosion occurred at the Obio/Akpor Council secretariat around 3:30 AM. Eyewitnesses reported seeing a black Toyota Hilux van and a white Toyota Sienna minivan drive past the secretariat.
“The occupants of these vehicles allegedly threw an object, suspected to be a stick of dynamite, which shattered the roof and caused damage to the generator house of the complex,” the statement read in part.
In response to these incidents, police said the Explosive Ordinance Disposal (EOD) and Anti-Bomb Squad have been mobilized to both locations.
According to the Command, an improvised explosive device (IED) was recovered at the APC secretariat, and the team has identified the use of incendiary materials in the arson of the security building.
The statement further added that the Command’s Explosive Ordinance Department have collected samples from both sites and are actively investigating the situation.
The gate of the secretariat and the doors were shattered by the explosion which happened around 3:20am.
The Chairman of the faction of APC in Rivers State, Tony Okocha narrated how the incident happened and blamed it on the governor, Siminalayi Fubara.
“About 3:20am some gun-trotting young men with their explosives and all that, came here and dropped the first explosive, maybe because the one they dropped here did not detonate, they came back the second time to burn the structure – look at the security house is gone.
“Behind me you will see that there was also an attempt, our people came and we were able to quench the fire,” Okocha said.
“Is APC secretariat here any voting unit? There is no voting unit here. So, it was deliberate to see how they can annihilate us, it is deliberate to see how they can embarrass us, it is deliberate to see how they can decimate us.”
