OBIO/AKPOR BLAST: POLICE RE-OCCUPY COUNCIL HEADQUARTERS

The authorities of the Rivers State Police Command have said a high- powered investigation committee has been constituted to unravel the circumstances that led to the explosion that rocked Obio/Akpor Local Government Area council headquarters last Tuesday, even as the command has vowed to deal decisively with anyone found culpable in the nefarious act.

Mr. Joseph Mbu; CP R/State Police Command

The state Commissioner of Police, Mr Mbu Joseph Mbu disclosed this while briefing journalists at the police command headquarters in Port Harcourt,last Wednesday.

Mbu, who regretted the ugly situation at the council secretariat a few hour after police withdrew from the council following a court order, explained that the police would stop at nothing to ensure that the perpetrators of the act were brought to book.

The state Commissioner of Police said  a Federal High Court in Port Harcourt had last Monday, ordered the police to vacate the council secretariat which had earlier sealed it to allow workers and staffer access to the secretariat, adding that the order of the court was complied accordingly.

According to him, the order of the court was served on him at 2pm last Tuesday through the command legal officer, adding that he immediately ordered the withdrawal of all police men out of the premises to allow normal activities to resume in  earnest in the council.

‘We stationed a patrol police van outside the council secretariat with minimum officers and the police guards on duty said they heard an explosion” , he said.

The state Police boss said the explosion made the police to re-occupy the council secretariat  in other to protect the premises of the council, adding that the police could not fold its arms and watch people destroy government’s property in the state.

He stated that he could not be  distracted by the growing spate of criticisms against him and the police administration in the  wake of the political crisis in the state, adding that the police acted within the ambit of the law to repossess the premises.

He urged members of the public to go about their normal duties as the police command was committed to ensuring the protection of lives and property in the state.

It would be recalled that barely 24 hours after a Federal High Court in Port Harcourt ordered the police to vacate the secretariat and allow workers and staff access to the sealed Obio/Akpor council premises, an explosion last Tuesday rocked the council headquarters, razing the generator house.