Rivers State Governor Rotimi Amaechi has accused the Rivers State Police Command and Commissioner Joseph Mbu of lying about the incident that led to the death of Police Sergeant Urang Obediah and one Kingsley Ejeuo.
The governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Mr.David Iyofor said the statement released by the police was a complete fabrication.
Iyofor said Amaechi has no private jet and that Lloyd was nowhere near the plane that ferried Amaechi from Port Harcourt to Abuja.
He said, “The Governor was about to leave for Abuja, when he was informed that the Rivers State Police Commissioner, Mbu Joseph Mbu, had ordered that the plane (which is not the governor’s private jet, as claimed by the police) cannot leave Port Harcourt because Hon. Lloyd was in the plane and about to ‘escape’ with Governor Amaechi.
“Shocked, several calls were put across to CP Mbu that were not answered. CP Mbu later showed up and when the governor asked him, he denied giving such an order. He then went on and on, making a baseless, noisy argument that no one could comprehend.
“Governor Amaechi put it to him that he (Mbu) came to search the plane for Chidi Llyod and told him to go ahead and search the plane. Mbu continued talking endlessly, showing absolutely no respect or regard for the office of the Governor of Rivers State, who is the Chief Security Officer of the state.
“Governor Amaechi then called the Inspector-General of Police (IGP). While the Governor was speaking with the IGP on the phone, CP Mbu was shouting at the Governor on top of his voice, trying to disrupt the conversation between the Governor and the IGP, to the shock and disbelief of those that were there.”
Speaking on the incident, counsel to Chidi Lloyd, Emenike Ebete said, Lloyd was not the driver of the vehicle that struck down the victims and did not know Ejeuo during his life time.
His words: “On 30th of December, 2013, Hon. Chidi Lloyd planned a get-together with his friends in his village, Akpabu (in Emohua LGA of Rivers State). The event that was supposed to start from 10 am did not start until 3.30 pm because of his (House leader’s) state of health.
“By the time the event was ending, it was around 10.30 pm. We tried to make him not to leave because of the time and his health, but he said since he had a driver and he had no reason to stay back.
“The accident happened in front of the Emohua Local Government Council Secretariat (along the ever-busy, but pothole-ridden East-West Road, still being dualised by the Federal Government). There was a stop-and-search police team. There was also a parked trailer, in front of which a Passat was parked, being checked by a policeman.
“As we approached the search-and-stop spot, another trailer was oncoming and instead of colliding with it, the driver of the car in which Hon. Lloyd was, swerved out of the road and ran into the Passat.
“The policemen doing the search died instantly. One of the four occupants died too. Two were taken to the hospital. One of the two had been discharged, while the other one is still receiving medical attention. The fourth person came out unhurt.”
Lloyd’s lawyer said Lloyd’s driver who was behind the wheels was immediately arrested and wrote a statement for the police.
He added:”The impact was so much that there was smoke in the car and all the occupants, including Lloyd, escaped from the car, through one door. After the accident, he (Lloyd) was taken to the hospital, Morning Star Clinic in D-Line, Port Harcourt and since the hospital is being renovated, in the morning, he was taken to Kelsy Harrison Memorial Hospital (owned by the Rivers State Government) on Emenike Street, Mile One, Diobu, Port Harcourt, where he was discharged around 4 pm on Thursday.
“Police called him (Lloyd) to say they wanted to see him over the accident. He directed them to his residence. The police team, led by a senior officer, Sola, took him away from his house, not anywhere near the Air Force Base or the governor’s aircraft, as indicated by the police. He followed them from his house.”