Assassination Attempt: Amaechi reacts to Wike’s Allegation

Scene of the clash

Minister of Transportation Rotimi Amaechi has reacted to Rivers state governor Nyesom Wike’s allegations that soldiers and SARS officials attached to the minister’s motorcade tried to kill him at Nwanja Junction, Trans Amadi Road, Rivers state.

Wike, through his media aide Simeon Nwakaudu, had said:

The SARS personnel and soldiers in the minister’s convoy mowed down the governor’s escort rider and attacked the policemen in the pilot car.

Mr. Seimeikumo Debewari, Aide-De-Camp to the Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, supervised the attack, which led to the damage of cameras held by journalists.

Mr. Debewari is the same police officer who assaulted members of the Rivers State House of Assembly in the fracas of 2014. Also, the Commander of Rivers SARS, Mr. Akin Fakorede, who received the minister of transportation at the Port Harcourt International Airport and accompanied him on his trip, took part in the attack.

The minister of transportation had over 50 SARS personnel, soldiers and mobile policemen in his motorcade. However, while the SARS officers stepped down to assault the security personnel of the governor, the soldiers remained in their vehicle watching the scene.

Scene of the clash

Reacting in a statement from his media office, Amaechi said:

In a blatant show of naked raw power, the Minister of Transportation, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, this afternoon narrowly escaped being shot by security men attached to the Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike. His car wasn’t that lucky though. The car was vandalized and left with a broken side mirror.

The incident occurred in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, along Trans-Amadi road, Nwaja axis. The minister had arrived Port Harcourt this afternoon (Saturday).

Accompanied by cars of many of his supporters, the minister’s black SUV was intercepted and blocked at the junction by the security motorcycle outrider attached to Wike after two cars had passed through. One of the two cars conveyed security men assigned to protect the minister in Port Harcourt.

Suddenly, security men attached to Wike’s convoy surrounded the minister’s car, threatening to shoot him. They hit the car, tried to smash the windscreens, windows and broke a side mirror. All through this attack, Amaechi remained calm inside the fortified vehicle. Wike also stayed inside his vehicle.

The minister eventually passed through after the intervention of the security team on the ground to protect him in Port Harcourt.

However, when Governor Wike got to the point where the incident occurred after Amaechi’s vehicle had gone, his security men blocked the road again, and thoroughly beat up a policeman attached to Amaechi in Port Harcourt. The policeman’s rifle was also taken from him.

Photo Credit: NAN PHOTO