Posted by The Port Harcourt Telegraph on
The police who last week declared some persons, including Ateke Tom and Soboma George wanted have swung into action. Most of last week, policemen were being mobilized to commence the biggest manhunt ever even as the wanted persons further went underground in a bid to escape arrest.
The police who last week declared some persons, including Ateke Tom and Soboma George wanted have swung into action. Most of last week, policemen were being mobilized to commence the biggest manhunt ever even as the wanted persons further went underground in a bid to escape arrest.
At Okochiri, according to local sources, there has been no sign of the Vigilante leader, and no sign of Soty and the rest as the authorities exert pressure
In the Borikiri axis, scene of endless fights, the boys have suddenly vanished as the fear of police arrest spreads and more law enforcement personnel join the big manhunt.
On the whole, the police are looking for 10 persons.
Last week ASP Ireju J. Barasua spokesperson for the Rivers State Police Command listed eight other persons, namely Mpakaboari J. Ekine Beresibo, Daddy Tibo Elechi alias Degema, Henry Johnson, Charlie Biu, Soty, Adokiye alias Saddam, Tonye alias Titon and Imama Kalio as wanted persons and urged the public to volunteer information that can lead to their arrest.
In the meantime, some of those declared wanted by the Rivers State police command last week have warned that should police arrest them because of the allegation leveled against them, the state has no other option than to expect bloodshed.
Henry Johnson, Mpakaboari Ekine and Daddy Tibo Elechi who issued warnings on phone from their hideout said Rivers people should hold the police responsible should there be any bloodshed.
In a telephone interview with our man, Chimex Ndubuisi which lasted for one hour on Saturday evening, the Bukuma youth president, Comrade Henry Johnson said that he was shocked when he read in the newspaper and learnt on Radio that the police had declared the three youths in Bukuma community wanted in connection with the death of Rtd. Major Israel Odogbo Amachree.
Speaking angrily on phone, Comrade Johnson wondered why police should declare him wanted when the police public relations officer, Ireju Barasua was present at a peace meeting held in Port Harcourt in which she represented the police commissioner .
According to him, " I am blaming the PPRO because she was at the peace meeting and I wonder why she should declare us wanted. But I think that she did not brief the commissioner of police on the outcome of the meeting and that was why they want us arrested."
"We have made it clear even in the presence of the police PRO that we are innocent of the charge against us because Major Amachree is our elder brother and there is no way we can harm him.
"In the court of law, there must be exhibit on floor and so, police should arrest anybody who told them that we murdered Major Amachree for such person to produce the murderer".
Ireju Barasua may have signed the statement, but many with inside knowledge of how police decisions are made say she may not know any more than she announced on the orders of the command.
Besides, they say the police might indeed have stumbled on information which clearly points in the direction of the three-some declared wanted.
They say all the three have to do is step forward and prove their innocence, using civilized methods acknowledged by law.
Apparently, Johnson and his associates had been engaged in talks designed to bring peace between Tombia and Bukuma.
Comrade Johnson opined that the youths of Bukuma or those police declared wanted would not attend any peace meeting because, according to him, their lives are at stake.
He urged their detractors to be careful and stop blackmailing them because of the resources that God has given to their community.
He asked the state police to arrest Soboma George and Ateke Tom whom he said have been terrorizing the residents of Port Harcourt and not arrest people whose hands are clean.
"Soboma should be arrested for escaping from Port Harcourt prison and not to arrest innocent persons. The problem in Bukuma started from mismanagement of funds and not as a result of cultism. I can now understand that there is tribalism in the state against our community and we have to resist it because nobody can intimidate us. But one day, the truth will prevail".
He urged the state government to intervene , saying that he has alerted Alhaji Asari Dokubo on the latest development.
Also on line was Mpakabori Ekine whom the state police command declared wanted. He told our man Chimex Ndubuisi on phone that they are innocent over the death of the Major.
He asked: to know why the police did not arrest them the day they attended the peace meeting if they were sure they actually killed him.
"Why don't they arrest us the day we came for a peace meeting with the police PRO who represented the commissioner of police?"
He appealed to the commissioner of police to reconsider their 'wanted' status and also appealed to the government not to relent in finding the peace.
Ekine observed Bukuma was being marginalized by persons who were intent to ensure that nothing good comes to their community.
Also speaking during the telephone interview, Daddy Tibo Elechi advised Bukuma community to pursue peace at all times.
Expressing shock that he had been accused of killing the retired major, Tibo said it was still not too late for the police to unravel the killers.
He urged the Bukuma elite to come together and also have a mind of forgiving one another, pointing out that anybody who wanted to cause trouble, or arrest them without cause, would be punished by the gods of the land.
Henry, Tibo and Ekine may have their say, but they remain wanted for a crime the police has reason to believe they committed.
What is clear is that the police machine is rolling and men are being mobilized to join the greatest manhunt for suspects that the force has declared enemies of state, at least for now.