Lawmakers in the Rivers State House of Assembly have raised the alarm over the torturing of the House Leader,
Chidi Lloyd, by the state Police Commissioner, Mbu Joseph Mbu.
In a statement signed by the 26 lawmakers, including the Speaker, Otelemaba Amachree, they decried the way Mbu is openly showing his bias in the crisis rocking the state, saying he is moving Lloyd from our station from the other and denying him access to members of his family.
The statement was signed by Amachree, Golden Ngozi Chioma; Innocent B. Barikor; Josiah John Olu; Ibiso Nwuche; Belema Okpokiri; Legbosi Nwidadah; Andrew Anderson Miller; Augustine Ngo; Ben Horsfall; Okechukwu Nwaogu; Victor Amadi; Azubike Chikere Wanjoku; Victoria Nyeche; Benibo Anabraba; Irene Inimgba; Felicia Barizasi-Tane; Aye Atamah Pepple; Onari Brown; Gift Wokocha; Ewor Nname Robinson; Lucky Odili; Chigbo Eligwe; Leyii Kwanee; Ikwunyi Igbani and Tonye Harry.
It reads: “The Leader of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Hon. (Barr) Chidi Lloyd had earlier in the week reported to the Force Headquarters, Abuja and had what the Force Headquarters described as ‘meaningful interactions’ for four days.
“Since his arrival Port Harcourt, the Rivers State Police Commissioner, Joseph Mbu has assaulted and tortured him like a criminal. They have been moving him from one station to another since he reported to CP Mbu’s office on arrival from Abuja. As his Lawyer Barr. Bello Olisa Nwofor stated ‘the continued blindfolding and detention of Hon. Chidi Lloyd by the Police is emphatically dangerous to his health and life”.
“We have also heard from the lawyer who accompanied Lloyd from force headquarters to Port Harcourt, Barr. Emenike Ebete, that over 500 anti -riot Policemen escorted Chidi Lloyd from the Airport to CP’s office and transported in a ‘ Black Maria’ as authorities would move criminals.”
“As a House, we are indeed saddened to note that The Leader of the Rivers State House of Assembly was blindfolded, tear gassed and handcuffed. As victims of this scripted and staged crisis from Abuja with a Junior Minister playing a major role and the Police Commissioner Rivers State as Key actor, our worry :
1. Is Mbu aware of Chidi Lloyd’s medical history? This calculated poisoning of Chidi Lloyd reminds us of the assumed circumstances leading to the death of our one time Senate President Dr. Chuba Okadigbo.
2.Why the Blindfold? He is only alleged to have committed an offence. He is not a terrorist nor an armed robber, neither is he a kidnapper. He is a representative of Emohua Constituency of Ikwerre Ethnic nationality at the Rivers State House Of Assembly and a legal practitioner who will stand for truth and justice even when the truth is too much for those bent on destroying our hard earned democracy with unnecessary impunity.
3.Why the handcuffs when he submitted himself to the Police? All these humiliations meted out on him by the Police Commissioner is to glorify his Political benefactors.
“We genuinely fear for the life of the Leader of the Rivers State House of Assembly whose present whereabouts remain unknown and whose only offence is that he defended democracy and its values.
“We condemn in entirety the role of the Police Commissioner Mbu Joseph Mbu as we search for peace in our state and call on Nigerians to be prayerful as their scripts are re-written”
