Over ten journalists who went to cover the Delta state All Progressives Congress, (APC), enlarged unity meeting on Saturday at Evwreni, Ughelli South Local Government Area of the state narrowly escaped death following attack by armed State Security Service, (SSS) and policemen attached to the Niger Delta Development Commission, (NDDC), Executive Director (Projects), Samuel Adjogbe.
Troubled started shortly after the meeting which was held at the country home of the party’s 2015 APC governorship candidate in the state, O’tega Emerhor and asked the journalists to meet him at his sitting room for interview when the security operatives attached to the NDDC Executive Director (Projects), Samuel Adjogbe descended on the newsmen at the main entrance to the sitting room with their gun butts and threatened to kill the journalists.
Narrating the incident to SaharaReporters, a member of the APC who witnessed the ugly scenario at the main entrance to the sitting room said “the crowd at the entrance was overwhelming and the Journalists were paving their way to meet Olorogun Emerhor for interview and immediately the SSS attached to the NDDC Executive Director (Projects), called Ogaga descended on one Gabriel Choba, the Ughelli correspondent of New Telegraph Newspapers, with his gun butt.”
“And before who knew what was happening, two policemen, one Mohammed Ibrahim and Udeh Ikechukwu with force number (426801), descended on one Ovie Okpare, the Warri correspondent of the Punch newspapers, one Akpos, the Oghara station manager of African Independent Television, (AIT), and one Prosper, his cameraman and before we know it the policemen started corking their guns and face the Journalists shouting to kill the journalists,” our source said.
Our correspondent reliably learned that the scenario which lasted over 30 minutes created some tension and attracted some APC members to the scene to resolve the issue while some policemen were seen brandishing their guns threatening to kill any Journalist that will dare video or take photographs of the incident.
When contacted, Gabriel Choba, the Ughelli correspondent of New Telegraph Newspapers and Akpos, the Oghara station manager of African Independent Television, (AIT), confirmed the story adding that if not God, they would have been dead by now following the attack by the happy trigger SSS and policemen attached to the NDDC Executive Director (Projects), Samuel Adjogbe.
“And before who knew what was happening, two policemen, one Mohammed Ibrahim and Udeh Ikechukwu with force number (426801), descended on one Ovie Okpare, the Warri correspondent of the Punch newspapers, one Akpos, and one Prosper.”
Meanwhile earlier, leaders of the Delta state All Progressives Congress, (APC), have promised to close their ranks and work together for the success of the party come 2019 general election.
Speaking at the APC’s enlarged unity meeting, former speaker of the Delta state House of Assembly, Victor Ochei who called for the need for all members of the party to form a formidable force and unseat the Peoples Democratic Party, (PDP), come 2019, saying that “our symbol of strength is unity. We will not rest until every leader speaks with one voice. United we stand and divided we fall. We must unite to take over Delta state,” Ochei stated.
Also speaking, Minister of State for Petroleum, Ibe Kachikwu who expressed joy over the enlarged unity meeting noted that “the enormity of the crowd, heading like an armageddon towards the state. The first thing is unity and I’m happy, the concept today is nobody is going to be left behind.”
For very APC members, empowerment is key. We will set up committees to bring empowerment to our people and alleviate the poverty among APC members,” he said.
In their separate speeches, leaders of the party in the state, O’tega Emerhor, Hyacinth Enumah, Cairo Ojougboh, and Pat Utomi, among others expressed happiness over the unity and peace that has returned to the party and called for the sustainability of the peace and unity among the party leaders and the party.
