THE Peoples Democratic Party in Rivers State has raised the alarm that the All Progressives Congress and the Rivers State government, in league with a police special unit in the state, are plotting to kill its (PDP) leaders.
The Rivers PDP said it had uncovered an alleged plot by the APC to use operatives of the C4I, a special police unit established eight years ago to combat the scourge of kidnapping in the state, to frame-up and assassinate its leaders.
It therefore asked the Inspector General of Police, Mr. Suleiman Abba, to ban the C4I.
The Chairman, Media and Publicity Committee of the PDP Governorship Campaign Organisation, Mr. Emma Okah, accused the APC and the Rivers State Government of conspiring with the C4I police outfit to orchestrate political violence in the state “and blame it on President Goodluck Jonathan.”
Okah said the state PDP had lost confidence in the security outfit because its conduct and operations were not under the control of the Rivers State Police Command
He said, “There is a completely scandalous and alarming conspiracy resulting from an unholy alliance between the government of Rivers State, the APC on one hand and a department of the Rivers State Police Command called C4I (pronounced “See For Eye”) on the other, to abduct, assassinate or frame and arrest leaders of the PDP in Rivers State and to generally orchestrate political violence, chaos and anarchy in Rivers State.
“We have uncovered a heinous and shameful conspiracy by the said C4I and APC to arm some young men, who would thereafter be arrested while armed with the very weapons given to them by the C4I and APC.”
He accused the C4I unit of a failed attempt to kidnap and kill a member of the PDP in the state, identified as Tonye Adoki Ayella, a PDP candidate for the State House of Assembly for the forthcoming elections, adding that Ayella was saved by security operatives attached to a member of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Mr. Evans Bipi.
“This matter was reported to the state Commissioner of Police, who has refused or neglected to investigate the matter. We call on the Inspector-General of Police to investigate the nefarious plot against President Jonathan and Chief (Nyesom) Wike; debrief members of the C4I; prosecute those involved in the plot; deploy the security operatives from Rivers State and disband the C4I police unit.
“The state PDP also enjoin the Inspector General of Police to ensure that this Israeli-trained special unit, the C4I, is not used any further by the APC or any other political party for that matter, as its terrorist wing in Rivers State,” Okah added.
Reacting, the APC described the PDP’s allegation as “frivolous, baseless, offensive, mischievous and mendacious,” saying that it was unthinkable for any sane mind to think of what the PDP had alleged against the Nigeria Police.
A statement by the Publicity Secretary of the PDP in the state, Mr. Chris Fynbone, said the allegation could only be possible between the PDP and any corrupt federal agency under the current administration of President Goodluck Jonathan.
The statement read, “While not speaking for any organ of state like the police or any other security agency, the APC in Rivers State believes that it is unthinkable for any sane mind or group of sane individuals to imagine that the Nigeria Police or other security organisations would attempt what the PDP is charging.
“That can only be possible between the PDP and any unscrupulous federal agency as we have come to experience under the President Goodluck Jonathan administration recently; definitely not with the APC.
“The Rivers State APC would like to urge the PDP to approach the various federal government-controlled security agencies with the facts of its findings for proper investigation to ascertain the veracity of their claims.
“However, we are convinced that such will not happen as we believe that the totality of the accusation by the PDP is frivolous, baseless, offensive, mischievous and manifestly mendacious.”
Also, the state Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. Ahmad Mohammad, said there was no truth in the PDP allegation. He described the C4I as a well-trained and responsible operational unit of the state police command.
Mohammad, in a statement on Sunday, stated that the C4I was established in 2007 to fight the rising wave of kidnapping in Rivers State.
He said, “It is on record that C4I is a well-trained operational unit of the command established since 2007 specifically to tackle the rising wave of violent crimes in the state.
“The unit is under the strict control and supervision of the command’s Directorate of Operations and has recorded colossal successes in crime prevention and fighting in the state.
“As a matter fact, the command has no plan whatsoever to abduct, assassinate or frame and arrest leaders or members of any political party in Rivers State or to orchestrate political violence, chaos and anarchy in the state. Therefore, there is no iota of truth in the allegations.”
He, however, said the state Commissioner of Police, Mr. Dan Bature, had ordered an investigation to be carried out on the PDP allegations.
SOURCE:Punchng.com