The police in Rivers State have declared two suspects wanted for “assault and attempted murder, and violent attack” on the Sole Administrator of Ahoada-East Local Government Area of the state, Goodluck Iheanachor.
The police spokesperson in the state, Grace Iringe-Koko, disclosed this in a statement on Sunday. The statement is posted on Facebook.
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Alleged attack
Mr Iheamnacho is one of the 23 council administrators appointed by the Sole Administrator of Rivers, Ibok-Ete Ibas, following President Bola Tinubu’s declaration of emergency rule in the state. He had only served a little over two months in office since his appointment on 11 April.
Mr Tinubu had suspended Governor Siminalayi Fubara and lawmakers in the state for an initial period of six months after declaring emergency rule in the oil-rich state.
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He appointed Mr Ibas, a retired chief of naval staff, as sole administrator for the state.
Mr Ibas, days after assuming office, dissolved boards and commissions constituted by the suspended governor and appointed administrators for the 23 council areas in the state.
PREMIUM TIMES last month reported that thugs were filmed in a viral video flogging Mr Iheanachor with cutlasses.
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In the video, another man could be seen lying next to the administrator, raising his hands and begging the thugs.
“Sign immediately, sign your signature,” one of the thugs shouted in the video, ordering Mr Iheamnacho to append his signature on what appeared to be a prepared resignation letter.
“Confirm his signature,” he added.
The thugs repeatedly flogged the council administrator with a cutlass before his hands were tied with a rope after he was forced to sign his signature.
The letter stated that Mr Iheanacho’s desire to “return to the private sector” made him to resign.
Police declare suspects wanted
After the attack, which occurred on 20 June, the police invited Hector Ekakita, chief security officer, and Aloni Olodi, chief of staff in the local government council for questioning.
In the statement posted on the command’s Facebook page, the duo refused to honour the invitation, prompting the police to declare them wanted.
“These individuals, alongside a gang of about thirty persons, are alleged to have conspired to assault the sole administrator, inflicted bodily harm on him, forcefully obtained his signature under duress, stole his mobile phones and vital documents, and carted away both personal and official properties from his office,” Ms Iringe-Koko, a superintendent of police said.
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The police said the council administrator is receiving medical treatment due to the injuries from the attack.
The commissioner of police in the state warns that anyone found aiding, hiding, or assisting the wanted individuals to evade arrest will face the full weight of the law, Ms Iringe-Koko said.
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