RIVERS GOVERNMENT ACCUSES WIKE OF BOMBING HIGH COURT

The political crisis in Rivers State which subsided towards the end of
2013 shot up drastically on Monday with the bombing of a State High
Court at Ahoada, in Ahoada East local government area, with the state
government fingering the supervising minister of education, Nyesom
Wike and the leader of the opposition lawmakers in the state House of
Assembly, Evans Bipi, as those allegedly behind the wanton
destruction.
Eyewitnesses said that the first explosion occurred at about 2am.
Those who were close to the court thought that it was a bomb because
of the shattering sound of the explosion.
The registrar of the court upon resumption for work at about 8am saw
two suspicious objects. He dutifully alerted the police.
However, one of the bombs went off at the block where the Nigeria Bar
Association (NBA) is located before experts from the police bomb
disposal arrived at the Ahoada High Courtat 12.noon.
The building was badly damaged.
Experts from the bomb disposal unit then proceeded to diffuse the
second bomb also within the premises of the high court at Ahoada.
Speaking to journalists at the Auditorium of the Ministry of Justice,
the Commissioner of Information and Communication, Mrs. Ibim
Semenitari, alleged that the "bombing of the Ahoada High Court has the
imprimatur of the Grassroots Development Initiative, GDI, the
political platform of the supervisory minister of Education, Nyesom
Wike."
A state high court in Okehi was also razed down by arson in the early
hours of Monday.
Eye witnesses said the fire started in the early hours of the morning.
There was no clue as to what caused the fire.
"We don't know what the intensions of the arsonists are, but it may
not be unconnected with the on-going court cases in both courts which
are related to the current political crisis in the state," she said.
She alleged: "The bombing and arson looks like the handiwork of people
who are close to the Supervising Minister of Education, Nyesom Wike
and the member of the House of Assembly, representing Ogo-Bolu
Constituency, Evans Bipi."
Semenitari charged: "Members of the GDI and the Peoples' Democratic
Party, PDP, as it is currently constituted are those likely to be
behind these sought of violence. You will recall that there was an
explosion at the office of the Deputy Governor, Engr. Tele Ikuru
towards the end of the year. You know also that there was an explosion
at the Abonema Wharf last year."
Reacting to both incidents, the Attorney-General and Commissioner of
Justice, Worgu Boms, lamented that the actions were designed to
instill fear in the judiciary.