PANEL INTERROGATES AMAECHI ON RIVERS CRISIS

The investigation panel headed by Deputy Inspector-General of Police
in-charge of Operations, Philemon Leha, has questioned Governor Rotimi
Amaechi on the festering political crisis in Rivers State.

The panel was said to have visited the governor last week during which
he gave his own account of the impasse in the state.

A top police source told Saturday PUNCH on Thursday that Amaechi spoke
in camera to the panel members and answered some questions ...
put to him
by on the crisis.

"The panel has interrogated a whole lot of people in Port Harcourt and
even Amaechi has had an audience with the panel.

"The panel visited Amaechi and he spoke to them. They did that as part
of their own investigation; he was asked some questions and he
answered them, he met them in camera when the DIG (Leha) was in Port
Harcourt," the source stated.

Investigations revealed that the panel decided to visit the governor
in his office to 'interview' him on the crisis because Amaechi has
constitutional immunity as an incumbent governor and the panel could
not summon him like any citizen.

It was gathered that the investigating team was able get useful
information during its interaction with the governor, who was said to
have been very frank with the panel members.

The number of those that had appeared before the panel was not clear
at the time this report was compiled, but it was learnt that the panel
planned to quiz all the pro and anti-Amaechi lawmakers in order to
have a credible report on the crisis.

Already, the Force Headquarters had summoned the leader of the Rivers
State House of Assembly, Chidi Lloyd; the Aide-De-Camp to the Rivers
State Governor, Debeware-Semeikumo, an assistant superintendent of
police, and the Chief Security Officer to the Governor, Tony Iwelu for
interrogation.

They were to report to the Force Criminal Investigation Department,
Force Headquarters, Abuja for an interview in respect of their roles
in the fracas inside the state House of Assembly as seen in the video
clips in circulation.

A statement by the Deputy Force Public Relations Officer, Frank Mba,
said that the men were invited to obtain further details that would
facilitate a proper investigation into the matter.

It could not be ascertained whether Lloyd and the security personnel
had honoured the invitation, but findings indicated that other
security details and every individual that was remotely involved in
the violence inside the chambers of the Rivers State House of Assembly
would be interrogated and summoned to the Force Headquarters as part
of the ongoing investigation by the high-powered panel.

Following the refusal of Lloyd to honour its invitation, the Rivers
State Police Command had declared him wanted on Wednesday.

The police explained that Lloyd was being investigated for allegedly
beating a fellow lawmaker, Michael Chinda with the 'imported' mace
used in the attempt to remove the speaker last week.

"The Rivers State Police Command has declared wanted one Hon. Chidi
Lloyd, a native of Emohua in Emohua Local Government Area of Rivers
State, about 37 years of age.

"He is the majority leader of Rivers State House of Assembly. He was
involved in a case of conspiracy, attempted murder, wounding and
wilful damage on July 9, 2013," the statement said.

But the embattled lawmaker refuted the claim, saying the police were
not being fair to him, as he had informed them of his health
conditions, which made it impossible for him to honour the invitation.

Lloyd, through his counsel, Emenike Ebete, said he would challenge the
notice on him in court, noting that the police's action was unfair and
would not hold.

He expressed disappointment at the action of the police, which he said
made it look as if he was running from the law.

He explained that although he was aware of the police invitation to
him, he could not honour it because of his health condition as he was
still recuperating in a hospital following injuries he sustained in
the fracas.

Commenting on Lloyd's excuse for not honouring the police invitation,
the police spokesman, Mba explained that the house leader would not
have been declared wanted if he had reported to the police as expected
of him.

"I think it is a very simple thing. Whoever he spoke to should have
asked him, 'why have you not reported to the police?' Whether it's a
summon or invitation or whether he is declared wanted by the police,
it's more of semantics, the issue is that his attention is requested
by the police and since he knows his presence is requested by the
police, what stopped him from discharging his responsibility by
visiting the police? I just want him to tell Nigerians why he has not
made himself available to the police," he said.

Mba said it was on record that an invitation letter was taken to
Lloyd's house, but he was "curiously not at home; his cook signed for
the letter, acknowledged receipt of the letter and ever since then, we
have not heard from him."

Asked whether the anti-Amaechi lawmakers would also be invited by the
panel, Mba stated that the investigation would be thorough and
exhaustive, adding that police investigations were not riotous
exercises where all things take place at the same time.

"Investigations are designed to achieve empirically verifiable
results; the fact, that a set of people were invited today does not
preclude the invitation of another set of people tomorrow. It is not
possible for any serious-minded investigative team or panel to embark
on a riotous journey," he stated.

On whether there was pressure on the police authorities to remove Mbu,
the police image-maker said the Force was not under any pressure,
noting that the people have freedom under democracy to criticise and
express their views.

"Just as people are calling for Mbu's removal, there are many others
describing the CP as the best thing to have happened to Rivers and the
best police officer they have ever met," he said.

Mba, who said he was not competent to comment on the removal or
transfer of the CP, noted that the posting and redeployment of CPs
were the responsibility of a competent authority, who takes such
decisions considering national interest.

On when the panel would submit its report, the DFPRO said the
investigation did not have a deadline, insisting that police
investigation was not a football match with a fixed duration.

Reacting to the questioning of Amaechi, his Chief Press Secretary, Mr.
David Iyofor, said DIG Philemon Leha, who led the police panel that
came to the state, met with Amaechi.

Iyofor, however, explained that he could not ascertain the outcome of
the meeting since he (Iyofor) was not part of the discussion between
his boss and the leader of the panel.

I am aware that the DIG (Leha) met with the governor, but I was not
there with them and was not privileged to know what they discussed,"
Iyofor said.