Group Decries Rivers Govt’s Silence Over Attack On Amaechi, ADC Secretariat

A political pressure group, the Rivers Liberation Movement (RLM), has decried the continued silence of the Rivers State Government over the attack on former Minister of Transportation,  Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, and the ward secretariat of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) in Ubima community, Ikwerre Local Government Area of the state.

The group also expressed disbelief that the Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Olatunji Disu, has yet to issue any statement regarding the incident.

Recall that last Friday, unknown gunmen suspected to be political thugs opened fire on Amaechi’s convoy along the Omuanwa-Ubima Road in an attempt to prevent him from reaching his community to officially register as a member of the ADC.

A few hours before the incident, unknown arsonists, also suspected to be political thugs, burnt down the Ward 8 secretariat of the ADC in the same community.

The convener of RLM, Dr. Leloonu Nwibubasa, in a statement posted on his verified  social media handle , described the two attacks as an assault on the democratic space.

Nwibubasa wrote: “The attack on Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi during his visit to Ubima to formally register with the African Democratic Congress (ADC), and the burning of the ADC Ward 8 Secretariat, represent a troubling escalation in the political climate of Rivers State.

“This was not merely an attack on a political figure or a party office. It was an attack on the democratic space itself. What is even more disturbing is the silence that has followed.

“The Governor of Rivers State, Siminalayi Fubara, as the chief security officer of the state, ought to have swiftly condemned this act and reassured the public that Rivers State will never be a theatre for political violence.

“Silence at such a moment sends the wrong signal and risks emboldening those who believe intimidation and arson are acceptable tools of political competition.

“Equally troubling is the silence from the office of the Acting Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Disu

An incident involving violence and the burning of a political party secretariat should naturally provoke immediate law enforcement attention and a clear commitment to bring the perpetrators to justice.

“Political violence, when ignored, rarely ends where it begins. If acts like the Ubima attack are not firmly confronted, they risk poisoning the democratic environment, escalating tensions, and undermining public confidence in the rule of law.

“Rivers people deserve a political environment where ideas compete, not violence.

The attack must therefore be thoroughly investigated and those responsible brought to justice. Anything less would set a dangerous precedent with consequences none of us should wish for our state.”