... Lloyd not in
police custody
The police in Rivers State finally broke their
silence on allegations that they were torturing the leader of the State House
of Assembly, Hon. Chidi Lloyd, saying the security outfit has no reason to do
so.
Also, the police said the House leader is not
in their custody.
Deputy speaker of the Assembly Hon. Leyii
Kwanee had at a news briefing in Port Harcourt on Sunday alleged that Lloyd was
being tortured and was going blind due to tear gas poured on him by policemen.
Kwanee who spoke on behalf of 27 lawmakers
loyal to the state governor, Chibuike Amaechi, also alleged that Lloyd was
being held at the State Criminal Investigation Department, CID, even as he said
the state police commissioner, Mbu Josehp Mbu, should be held responsible
should anything untoward happen to Lloyd.
But the state commissioner of police, Mr Mbu,
said he had neither set his eyes on the House leader nor remembered the last
time he (Mbu) saw him, adding that Lloyd was not in the custody of the state
police command.
Mbu, who made the denial at a press briefing
on Monday, explained that Hon. Lloyd had earlier reported to the Force
Headquarters in Abuja and was later brought back to Port Harcourt, maintaining
that he (Lloyd) was still in the custody of those that brought him from Abuja.
“Even when there is an earthquake (God forbid)
in Rivers State, they will say it is the commissioner for police who arranged
for the earthquake. So that is the truth about the issue involving the House
leader.
“The case is out of my hands and I cannot even
remember when I saw him, except on our video clip,” Mbu said.
On claims and allegations that Lloyd was being
tortured, Mbu said Lloyd’s offence was real, but that it was neither a case of
armed robbery nor suspected murder, pointing out that the police have no reason
to torture him.
Jonathan, Amaechi to
meet with Queen Akasoba August 3
Meanwhile, in a bid to broker peace among the
principal characters in the Rivers State political impasse, Her Royal Majesty
Queen Akasoba Duke-Abiola, the Akasoba of Kalabari and Chair, Akasoba Centre
for Peace and Conflict Resolution (ACPCR), has invited President Goodluck
Jonathan and Rivers State governor Rotimi Amaechi to a reconciliatory meeting
billed to hold this Sturday, August 3, 2013.
Also on the list of key figures to attend the
meeting are former head of state General Yakubu Gowon; first president of
Zambia Dr Kenneth Kaunda; former United Nations secretary-general Dr Boutrous
Boutrous-Ghali and traditional rulers from across the country.
According to a statement issued on behalf of
Queen Akasoba by the secretary of the ACPCR, Dr Jen Clarence, the royal fathers
and other persons billed to attend the peace and resolution conference include
all traditional rulers of Rivers State as well as the Emir of Zazzau, Alhaji
Shehu Idris; the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi; Air Marshal Ernest
Adeleye, former governor of old Rivers State; and Mr Mofia Akobo, former
minister of petroleum resources.
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